A True Slytherin
by snapesgirl1981
Summary: An ancient prophecy done over a thousand years ago affects the potions Master and his student in ways that soon turn out to be life changing. But how is Albus Dumbledore involved in this and how does it affect Voldemort, Slytherin and the wizarding world?
1. 1 The Necklace

**A True Slytherin**

by snapesgirl1981

Feedback: Always appreciated at snapesgirl1981@yahoo.com.au or review were possible

Rated R for ff.net and NC-17 for others. I will publish an edited version on ff.net

Disclaimer: J.K.Rowling owns everything, I don't. No copyright infringement is intended.

Spoiler: After OotP so don't read if you don't know what happened there. Almost everything from all five books is mentioned somewhere in the text so don't read it of you don't wanto get spoiled.

**Warning: This fic wil in time get very dark covering probably very offensive topics like a relationship between Snape and Hermione (with sexual intercourse before she turns 18), rape,  explicit violence, suicide and character death. This is not light reading. Please try to notice the warnings on the appropiate chapters and stay away from anything you feel might offend you. You are warned.**

Summary:  This story is about the house of slytherin, its history and how Hermione explores what it is that makes a true Slytherin. It is also a love story but a difficult one between two persons who are seperated by more than house rivalry and a war. It is a story about dark and light and the journay and sacrifices it sometimes takes to arrive where we belong. Novel-length fic.

**1. [ The Necklace ]**

The summer holidays slowly moved into a haze of days and in retrospect Hermione could never have explained what happened exactly. Her parents were as usual glad to have her around for the few weeks and they were visiting family and friends mostly. She did her school work, prepared for the next year which would be her sixth in Hogwarts and waited for her O.W.L grades. Normally she would have been terribly nervous as for her these results were the first measurement of her scholastic success or failure. And she had been all summer since she had received a letter this morning- not with her results but from Ron and Harry- she was supposed to spend the last two weeks at Grimauld Place 12 in London. The two boys were already there and even so Harry was in a terrible mood she was looking forward to it. 

So far she had not even begun to think back to the events in the Ministry of Magic and of Sirius' death but she knew she was bound to when she spend time in his house. It was doing no good to avoid thinking of the tragic events and she was determined to help Harry deal with it.

But there was another letter with a package that had arrived by owl this morning and for some reason it filled her with a feeling of unease. Not that she was scared of it- there was no reason to be since the envelope was covered with the Hogwarts crest. It couldn't be her results- it was simply to early in time. No it had to be something else. But what?

Having made up her mind she opened the crème coloured envelope and took out a parchment filled with some lines in a spidery handwriting that she couldn't place for a moment. But when she saw the Slytherin emblem on top of the letter she knew that it was from Professor Severus Snape, Potions Master and Head of Slytherin. For some to her complete unknown reason he had sent her a letter and a package.

Carefully she picked up the parchment and began to read it.

_Ms Granger,_

_As instructed by Professor Dumbledore I am sending you this short note accompanied by a necklace that I want you to wear at all times. Everything will be explained when you arrive in __London__ but since then it is extremely important that you wear the necklace no matter what happens. _

_By the way, your results in potions were satisfying._

_Severus Snape, Potions Master and Head of Slytherin_

Intrigued now Hermione opened the small package and a tiny box fell out. The necklace was a simple one but nevertheless beautiful with its green emeralds and strange symbols being incurved into the silver pendant. The necklace was not silver but what material it was made off exactly she couldn't say. It certainly looked like silver but it was not cold but warm and felt almost like velvet. It was small enough to wear it under her shirts so that nobody would immediately recognize that she wore it. For some reason that felt important, nobody was to know that she had received this gift at all.

Carefully she placed the necklace around her neck and the moment she closed the fastener a soft greenish light bathed her in warmth and a tranquil peace like never before in her life. Closing her eyes for a moment she couldn't have explained how she knew it that it was a family property- owned by the Snape family. It figured since most of the symbols on the pendant were snakes and runes commonly used for protection. So they wanted to protect her? But what from?

Voldemort. Very likely. But why her and not Harry? Maybe Harry had been given something else to protect him, maybe even something from Dumbledore. She couldn't imagine Snape giving Harry a family pendant- he would rather die. 

_Or give it to a bossy know-it-all he usually despised but if it spared him Potter…_

Bitterness flooded her mind and she felt almost like taking off the necklace that was surely given to her because of an order by Dumbledore. Somehow she knew that the necklace was special, a special gift made by someone from the Snape family to a person they wished to protect. The impulse to take it off was stopped when her fingers brushed the warm material.

_"Ms Granger, stop taking off that necklace!" thundered Severus Snape's voice through her room._

She jumped and looked afraid as if he had caught her cheating in class. The dark figure stood in the middle of the room, the robe covering him and his expression one of anger.

"I have no time for interruptions like this Ms Granger. So stop doing it!" His voice sounded as if she had cursed an Unforgivable.

Staring up at him she helplessly gestured with her hands to the door.

"How- how did you… I mean you didn't use floo powder…"

He sneered and if possible his features looked even stricter.

"I apparated. And I would sincerely appreciate it if you could spare me from having to do so more often, so please just leave the necklace on."

Mutely the girl nodded and in one second he was gone.

For a moment she stared to the place he had just vacated and then turned to the letter once more.

_By the way, your results in potions were satisfying._

So he knew her scores already. She hoped that for him satisfying meant something like an O. Or at least an E.

Groaning she sank onto her bed and covered her face with a pillow. Now the nervousness was back. And not only for the O.W.L. results.


	2. 2 The Attack

**2. [ The Attack ]**

After another week full of waiting and hoping Hermione woke early in the morning and carefully stretched her numb limps. Today was the day when she would get to London and finally after over four weeks meet Harry and Ron and all the other wizards and witches again. Never would she tell her parents so but in reality she missed the magic world when she lived in the Muggle one and long since gone she had made the decision where she felt at home. It didn't change the fact that she missed her parents when she was at Hogwarts but she longed to return there.

It was still dark outside and when she stepped to the window it looked like the world was still sleeping. Not even birds were singing, only a car was driving lonely down the street.

Shortly she wondered what Harry and Ron were doing right now. Probably sleeping. There were good chances that Mrs Weasly was already awake along with Moody and Tonks. It seemed that all the aurors were up in the wee hours of the morning as if they needed very little sleep at all. Very likely Snape was roaming the house by now if he was in London at all. Harry had written her in a letter with disdain that at the moment Snape was spending a lot of time in Grimauld Place but kept mostly to himself in his room or the small library. The boy had told her that he seemed to not need to sleep whatsoever and starting in the early hours of the morning her was sweeping through the corridors and the living area as if he wanted to catch somebody doing mischief. 

Deep in thoughts she gripped the pendant and tried to imagine Snape catching Ginny when she wanted to use the bathroom and trying to deduct points from her. How mad he must be to be unable to punish the Gryffindors at all. 

Chuckling she turned away from the window and stepped into the bathroom to take a nice warm shower before she started the day with some reading. Surely it couldn't hurt to catch up on some potions reading, could it? Just to be prepared for anything Snape might ask her when she arrived in London later.

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Sighing Severus Snape turned away from the window towards the headmaster and tried to chase any facial expression off his features. He had expressed his views on the matter several times already and if it hadn't changed Dumbledore's opinion by now it would do no good to continue. 

Again when his eyes fell on the white bearded wizard he was struck how much this man defied years. He looked all the 152 years he was old but one look into his blue twinkling eyes told you all you needed to know. He radiated power and authority when you cared to look and the manner in which he kept his calm no matter what happened soothed not only Severus in times like these but also many others.

The frown reappeared when he looked into the mirror Dumbledore had conjured. It showed Hermione Granger standing next to a window obviously lost in thoughts. It was his pleasure to watch her most of the time, since he according to the headmaster was most 'suited' for this task. Whatever he meant by that.

_What is she doing up already? It's only shortly after __four o'clock_. She is worse with the sleeping than I am. __

The girl irritated him immensely. In the beginning he had thought it was due to Potter and his dislike for his father but in time he questioned this. Even if she wasn't Harry Potter's loyal sidekick he would still feel agitated by her no matter what.

_Little Miss Know-it-all._

The sneering was back. No doubt she would spend the next hours until her muggle parents awoke with some reading. She had done so in the last week everyday. It was tiring and making him feel cranky for some reason.

Turning his attention back to Dumbledore he stared straight into the blue depths that were once again twinkling in obvious amusement. He, the feared Potions Master and Head of Slytherin, Ex-Death eater and spy for the Order of the Phoenix, seemed to be a never-ending source of amusement for the old headmaster. 

"What?" He snapped but didn't care. Albus knew his temper and as usual it only seemed to intensify his twinkle.

"Severus, Severus. Tell me why is it that you dislike the poor girl so much? She is rather refreshing."

Trying to keep the sneer from his face and failing Snape's features seemed to darken.

"She is a bossy, little know-it-all who always has all the answers." It didn't sound convincing, not even to him.

The headmaster chuckled quietly. Making himself more comfortable in the arm chair he took a closer look at his ill tempered Potions Master. The last year had taken its toll on him- as it had on all of them. Nevertheless it was special for Severus. Having to force himself to do things he no longer wished to do, saying things he no longer wanted to say was tiring him. He looked even paler in the firelight and his features were as stern and cold as ever. Only few people were able to look behind the mask of the man made of ice and venom and see the tortured creature there. Strangely he had always thought that perhaps Hermione Granger could one day.

"I remember another know-it-all some twenty years back who turned out to be a powerful and respected Potions Master." Burning his eyes into the Professor's he continued softly as if talking to a panicking deer. "Don't judge others more harshly than yourself Severus."

"Who says I do?" The voice emitting from the Head of house sounded strangely enough laced with bitterness.

Sighing Albus Dumbledore knew to press the matter more would only force Severus into a more defensive position.

"Have you prepared everything for Ms Granger's return Severus?" Better to turn to topics of immediate concern.

Nodding the Potions Master walked towards the window again. Looking outside he crossed his arms defensively across his chest as if to ward off any more questions.

"I leave it to your capable hands to inform Ms Granger and her valuable friends of the change of living quarters responding to current events."

"I would love to but I have to return to the Ministry at once. Urgent business, unfortunately it can't wait. But Molly and Remus are informed and I have absolute faith in your abilities to explain everything to Ms Granger and her friends." Getting up with surprising agility he moved swiftly towards the door.

Surrendering before he had even started the discussion Snape followed Albus into the hall. 

"I expect I will have to stay here for the next two weeks and then accompany Ms Granger back to Hogwarts?"

The old man nodded. "Yes. Under no circumstances is Ms Granger to be alone without your protection. If you get called please leave her in your room and ask Remus or Tonks to stay with her. And Severus-" He placed his hand on the dark clad arm of the other. "-I give you expressed permission to apparate with Ms Granger to the entrance to the Hogwarts grounds." Handing him a parchment he smiled slightly. "I decided to give Ms Granger her apparating licence earlier so it should be no problem."

With that he opened the door and they looked into Minerva McGonagall's face.

"Ready Albus?"

"Of course Minerva." Turning around one more time he moved his face towards Snape's.

"Please Severus, try to be gentle to the girl." Hesitating but then obviously having reached a decision he whispered "She is more important for your future than you think. There is a prophecy in the Ministry concerning you and Ms Granger. Alas, I have to leave now. See you later Severus!"

And with that he and Minerva disappeared someplace else leaving a frowning and utterly confused Potions Master behind in the entrance to Grimauld Place 12 in London.  

» » » » » » » » » »

The ticking of the clock slowly was driving her mad. In the last letter Ron had informed her that Moody and Tonks would be at her house around lunchtime to fetch her and they were to go by broomstick. Her stuff was packed, her parents were sitting with her in the living room but so far nobody had arrived. It was getting closer to one o'clock so there was no way around it- they had forgotten her.

In that moment she saw a dark shadow appearing out of nowhere next to her and all in a sudden Professor Snape stood next to her father who had jumped out of his chair in surprise. 

"Hermione, you didn't tell us they would just appear." Her father looked a tad shocked but all in all he handled the situation well, she thought. The way Snape looked would scare most people.

"I had no idea, Dad. I thought they would fly here on their broomsticks." _And nobody told me it would be Snape. _She felt anger inside at her best friends who obviously thought that such information wasn't necessary for her.

Turning her attention towards Snape she saw that his eyes darted through the room as if he was checking for something.

_I wonder what's wrong with him. Maybe it's just another way of showing me how much he despises me. Not that I need that, the potion lessons and the insults are more than enough for that._

Her father by now had obviously remembered his manners and stretched his hand towards Snape grinning madly.

"Welcome to our house!"

This caught Snape apparently by surprise as he raised one eye brow but shook Mr Granger's hand and forced a pleasant smile on his face.

"Thank you."

Hermione had never seen Snape smile so politely. It was mostly a cross between a sneer and a malevolent grin- if he did it all. It was rare and it transformed his face remarkably. The whole features looked all in a sudden smooth and there was even something like a spark in his eyes as he bent over her mother's hand and without touching it breathed a kiss on it. He looked elegant all in a sudden and judging from her mother's dreamy grin- handsome.

_Oh no, what am I thinking? Snape and handsome in one sentence. I must be mad!_

Turning to her he sneered noticing her stunned expression and before she knew what had happened he shook her hand as well. 

His skin felt surprisingly warm and smooth and the way he gripped her hand tightly felt nice. And there- that was obvious amusement in his face when she felt a hot blush creep up her cheeks. For a moment she really considered that it was Ron or Harry using polyjuice potion and pretending to be Snape but they couldn't apparate so far. 

"Now Ms Granger, can we leave. I have some more things to attend to today." His voice sounded silken and caressed her like velvet when it touched her ears.

Nodding mutely she motioned to her trunk but then she remembered that she wasn't allowed to apparate. How were they to get to London then?

"Ehm, Professor Snape?" Her voice sounded small even to her.

"Yes." Again that amused expression. It startled her.

"How are we going to get to London? I can't apparate." At his surprised expression she added "I am not yet 17. I have no licence."

For a moment something crept into his face that was very un-Snape-like. It was almost a leery grin- it made her feel uneasy. For some reason her necklace was burning hot against her skin and she felt repulsion.

Softly she whispered as if not making her parents hear. "Thanks for the necklace by the way."

Now his expression was clearly startled. And without being aware of it she perched away from him knowing without a doubt that this man standing before her was not her Potions Master. 

Gripping her wand tightly she had only one thought spiralling in her head: How do I get my parents away? In that moment several things happened at the same time. The man pretending to be Snape raised his wand pointing it at her father and uttered two words that made the hair on her back rise: **_Avada kadavra_**! Another Snape appeared behind her father raising his wand and pushing her father out of the way so that the spell missed him. Hermione using the momentum pushed the false Snape out of the way and pointed her wand at him.

Next to her she heard a slight movement as somebody pointed a wand and then a well-known voice uttering a short **_"Stupefy!"._ But before the spell had a chance to reach the crumpled mess disappeared. **

Still rigid Hermione turned towards her parents and found them on the floor behind the couch kneeling there wide eyed. 

"Are you okay?" Quickly she checked them for injuries but other than being a bit startled they were indeed alright.

When she turned around Snape still stood next to the door leading to the hall and watched her intensely. His wand had been pushed into his robes and he looked furious.

"Who was that?" Her voice sounded slightly quivering and she hated it.

"Lucius Malfoy." It sounded like a curse the way he uttered it.

"What? Why?" Now all pretence was gone and she felt panic flood her. Lucius Malfoy should have been in Azkaban right now for being a Death Eater.

Snape's eyes flickered and he sighed.

"Ms Granger, I would really appreciate it if we could talk about it when you are safe. It is of extreme importance that we leave immediately."

"But what about my parents? We can't leave them here all unprotected."

"Moody will be here in a second and take care of that but we have to leave _now_." His voice sounded pressed as if he was in pain.

The necklace was now cool against her neck and a strange impulse seemed to come from it. As if it wanted her to move closer to the Potions Master.

Still hesitating she put down her wand.

"How can I know that this time it is really you?"

He frowned shortly. "Ms Granger, I have no doubt that my necklace has informed you already that this time it is really me." Without another word he gripped her tightly around the waist and pressed her against his body. Before she could utter another word she saw out of the corners of her eyes Alastar Moody and Tonks appearing out of nowhere and then the cloak covered her completely. She felt the warmth radiating from Snape's body and if she really concentrated a faint hammering could be heard- his heartbeat. 

_That should prove to Harry and Ron that he is not a vampire._

Giving in to the temptation she snuggled into the fabric of his robe and closed her eyes. All in a sudden she was tired. Then she felt another strange sensation and before she knew what happened they were in London. Sighing she felt that somebody picked her up and snuggling into a warm chest she gave in to the sensation and was fast asleep.

Bewildered Snape looked at the girl in his arms and tried to block out how peaceful she looked. Sighing he carried her up the stairs into his room and placed her on the bed. She could as well sleep. After a moment's hesitation he got comfortable on the other of the bed. In sleep Hermione curled up and nuzzled her face in Snape's shoulder. **  **


	3. 3 The Bond

**3. [ The Bond ]**

It was dark outside when she awoke. The afternoon had turned into evening and for a moment she wondered where exactly she was. It was warm, very comfortable and she was no longer dressed in her jeans and shirt but wore a man's black shirt. This somehow triggered something inside her. Black. Who would wear a black dress shirt, who would  carry her to a room which looked clearly like somebody already lived here with books filling a shelf, and who would most importantly lie underneath her, cradle her body and snore. 

Okay granted not all the answers were Snape but turning around her face she found her worst suspicion confirmed- she was obviously in Snape's bed- with him her hysteric mind added- and right now he was apparently sleeping. Carefully as not to wake him up she turned around so that she rolled off him and laid next to him curled up watching his face.

Never in a thousand years would she have imagined seeing Snape like this. He looked astonishly different from what she now knew was a mask during school hours. His features seemed relaxed, no sneers anywhere on his face and as she had already noticed- he snored. Not loudly only some cute little sound that seemed quite calming to her.

_I am doing it again. I place words in sentences that don't belong there. Like Snape and cute._

Sighing she looked at her surroundings and found herself faced with a strange realization- Snape loved books. Well not really strange but at least new to her. Of course considering what Harry had told her in one letter about what he had seen in the pensieve Snape had once been a bookworm like herself. The whole wall facing the bed was covered with shelves which were overflowing with books of all kinds. Next to the bed was a simple table with a chair which was of course also full of books and parchments of various sizes and forms. The rest of the room was empty not even a wardrobe was anywhere to be seen. There were three doors obviously leading somewhere else.

Having finished her inspection of the room she slowly got up- careful not to disturb the professor- and had a closer look at the shelves. The titles there made her heart jump. These were books she knew existed somewhere but not even the restricted section in Hogwarts' library contained those. It appeared that Snape still loved books and had a huge collection. For some reason she was sure that the collection was just a little excerpt from a bigger one. Oh, to get her hands on these. To just have something like eight weeks left to read all of these books.

With another look to assure her that the potions Master was still  sleeping she carefully sat down on the chair and opened one of the books already on the table. It was about Sleeping Potions and soon she was lost in the words.

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_Of course, the first thing she would do would be to read! _

Why he was surprised was beyond him. When she had woken he had pretended to sleep to see what she would do. Now as he watched her tiny form curled up on the no doubt uncomfortable chair, her face hidden behind the covers of the book with only her dark brown curls showing he noted with interest that almost without him realizing it she had changed. Not that he knew how much of that change went beyond her looks or if inside she still was the annoying little know-it-all from her first year in Hogwarts. It was almost funny how he had never paid enough attention to her to know it. She was a brilliant mind, he knew that and her potions along with her assignments were always flawless. She had of course reached an O in her potions exam- it wasn't really a surprise for him. But if he remembered correctly in the last two years she hadn't been as much a show-off as before. 

Now he couldn't help but notice how much the green of the emeralds on his pendant contrasted nicely with her pale neck. Oh yes, his pendant. It had been Dumbledore's brilliant idea to protect her with his pendant. Strangely enough Minerva had supported him, Snape, in his position that it was clearly impossible to force a girl as young as Ms Grange into such a situation but since nobody could come up with anything better as always Dumbledore had won. It bothered him more than Snape wanted to admit that the symbol of a pureblood family like the Snapes, always proud Slytherins, was now resting on a neck of muggleborn Gryffindor. It wasn't that bloodlines bothered him very much- he had never cared much about that for quite a while now- it was the very fact that the student he disliked the most besides Potter was now wearing a token of his love. Because in the end that was what the pendant was about. It was given from a Snape family member to a loved one to protect him or her from harm. And now he was quasi engaged to Ms Granger according to wizarding laws. Of course that tiny information didn't bother Albus very much. As the fact that Severus Snape had no idea what apart from the engagement the necklace really meant. He only knew that all wives of the first son in the Snape family had worn this necklace.

Clearing his throat he silently moved from the bed next to the sitting girl obviously still entranced in the book and cast a curious lock inside. Ah, the book about Sleeping Potions. It was indeed very old and a rare edition but at least she valued it.

"Nice reading, Ms Granger" he murmured into her ear silkily and to his surprise she leaned into his body slightly.

"Very much so. Did you know that Salazar Slytherin himself held a theory that it was possible to brew a potion strong enough to kill a person temporarily if you strengthened the Sleeping Drought enough?" Her voice sounded excited and she looked up to him with shining eyes full of the joy of sharing information.

For a moment he was stunned by this. He didn't like the fact much that for some reason she felt comfortable with him. 

"I do. But do you know that I will test this theory on you Ms Granger if you don't get the hell away from my books." To his inner satisfaction she blanched and instantly draw back from him. The feeling of loss in this moment surprised him.

"I-i-i am sorry Professor but you were still sleeping and I got bored and-…"

"Please spare me this." Cutting her of harshly he noticed her state of undress for the first time. He used a spell this morning to change her clothes but right now it bothered him for some reason to see so much of her body. "If you don't mind Ms Granger I would very much appreciate it if you could make yourself decent so that we can go downstairs to have dinner."

Blushing furiously she stood up and placed the book gently on the table. No question how she had gotten to that state of undress, no reply, she only took the few steps to the bed and sat down there. As Snape watched her he realized that the pendant had changed. The material emitted coldness and the emeralds had turned almost translucent. When his eyes rested on the back of her head his hearing picked up a strange sound- it sounded almost like a stifled sob.

With horror he realized that for some reason Ms Granger was crying! No, he corrected himself, you made her cry you old bastard. Of course, the pendant was made for lovers and for some reason it seemed to influence Ms Granger's and his emotions as well. Relieved that this was surely the only explanation he carefully sat down next to her and placed a reassuring hand on her shoulder.

Instantly she threw herself into his arms and loud sobs emitted from her. Shaken inside for some reason Snape put his arms around her and gently stroked her bushy hair. He felt a strange stabbing somewhere he suspected his heart was placed and breathed soft kisses on the honey-scented curls.

"Hermione, please don't cry. Hush my dear, no reason to cry, whatever it is I make it okay again I promise." He tried to sound soothing and somewhere the evil sneering bastard screamed in outrage. But right in this moment his heart was attacked by a thousand emotions at once, grief, love, sorrow that he simply surrendered to them.

After what seemed like forever Hermione raised her tear-stained eyes still brimming with wetness and all he could look at was the swollen red lips, the wonderful curve of her cheekbones and the depth of her eyes that still shone with hurt and sadness.

Gently he placed his pale spidery hands at her cheeks and cradled her face. Like a cat she moved into the caress and after a moment's hesitation he trailed the other hand over her lips. Softly touching the silken feel of her lips, he carefully placed his lips on hers as if afraid she might run away. It was chaste this kiss but it felt like an electrical charge to his groin and when he moved away the girl's eyes had darkened with passion.

Some part of him was aware that the emeralds on the pendant by now had turned ruby red and the material was burning hot. But unfortunately that part wasn't in control. Placing his lips once again on hers she this time opened them a fraction and without hesitation he swept his tongue inside. It wasn't chaste and gentle this time but brutal and passionate. He wanted to claim her, make her his, wanted to make sure that the world knew that she belonged to him.

The moment their tongues touched the spell broke and he jerked away as if she was on fire. Her eyes filled with horror but before he could do a thing two similar chains placed themselves around their arms engraved with the same runes as on the pendant. The material felt warm and had no fastening and with a sudden feeling of complete and utter horror Severus Snape realized that in this moment the girl beneath him was bonded to him.

It took only a couple of seconds and the door was opened with a loud crash and they had an audience. Minerva McGonagall and Albus Dumbledore stood in the doorway; the first with a look of utter horror on her face and the headmaster with a shocked expression. 

**_"Two witnesses, the lovers and the act make this complete. So be it."_ **

The voice apparently from nowhere sounded amused and Severus felt a feeling of utter despair wash over him. What had he done? What the hell had he done? What had happened?

Behind the two figures in the doorway he saw other people emerging and he felt anger boiling up in him.

"OUT! INSTANTLY OUT!" he bellowed and after a second the door was closed again. For a brief moment he wondered if he had looked so intimidating but then all thoughts were washed away when he looked into the shocked face of Hermione.

"P-p-professor Snape?" Her voice sounded terribly small and wounded and he softened his expression. It would do no good to have her crying again.

_Look where that got you last time. _

Gently he rolled off the bed and to loose no further time dressed them both with a wave of his wand. Then he turned around and saw that she still lay motionless on the bed her eyes seemingly staring into space. To his relief this time there were no tears but the lock of emptiness on her face was even worse.

"Hermione." He gave his voice a gentle touch as not to startle her more. Why all in a sudden her feelings mattered so much was beyond him but here he was trying to be gentle- and probably failing miserably. He simply wasn't used that kind of behaviour. He either tried to intimidate people or barked orders or sometimes on rare occasions he tried to flatter people to achieve his goals. Dealing with a girl in obvious distress was completely beyond him.

Carefully sitting down on the bed he looked at her inquiringly. Still her face seemed frozen and only her ragged breathing showed him that she was still alive. What now? He had to think through everything rationally. For some reason he had kissed Hermione Granger, 15 year old Gryffindor know-it-all and one of his students, then obviously somebody had decided that this was enough to warrant a wedding, they were now linked by some kind of chain which made him acutely aware of the girl's emotions and on top of it all it seemed the whole house had seen them both quasi in the act- ad he doubted not one moment that Albus and Minerva had felt the energy and knew what had happened.

"Holy shit." His voice sounded roaring in the silent room.

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"Holy shit."

Turning her attention to the man sitting next to her on the bed- her husband a nasty voice added- she smiled faintly.

"Exactly." Her voice sounded husky and somehow that made her flush. Remembering what had happened right here on that bed was embarrassing enough as it was but for some reason the feeling of him kissing her followed her. It had felt absolute right in the situation but right now of course in the harsh light of day it turned out to be terribly wrong.

_He hates me now. That sentence reverberated through her head leaving nothing but devastation. The darkness threatened to swallow her and she curled up on her side away from him trying to hide from his no doubt sneering gaze._

Gentle arms encircled her after a second and she was pulled on his lap instinctively closing her arms around his neck. Nestling her head into his black robes which reminded her so sharply that he was her professor she felt almost all tension leaving her body. The sigh left her mouth before she could stop him and in response he tightened his arms around her. 

"Please, don't cry." The voice was like the soft caress of wind against her cheek and she closed her eyes tightly to not let him see that again the tears threatened to fall. 

They stayed like that for an eternity- at least it felt like that for her. After she felt completely safe in his embrace she raised her head and looked into his dark depths which were in that moment filled with the strangest mix of feelings: confusion, love, relief, sadness, comfort and a good deal amusement. His lips twitched as if he prevented a grin and he turned his face to the window.

"Hey." Her voice had found strength again and she even managed some reproach. "Are you grinning about me?"

Slowly he turned his face towards her again and it was completely serious again. Instead of pushing her away as she was sure he would do now that she had calmed down he pulled her even tighter against his body.

"Listen to me closely for I shall say this but once: You are bonded to me now and even so you are an insufferable Gryffindor know-it-all right now you are quasi the wife of a Slytherin Head of house. It's okay if you want to cry and for reasons beyond me I even feel an urge to comfort you but do so in private. A Slytherin never cries in front of others."

"No wonder most of you turn out such pricks." For a moment she wondered if he would get mad now but he stared into her eyes as if looking for something.

"I might even agree with you and you can behave the way you want to here in front of your friends and people from the Order but if we are to leave that house and especially in Hogwarts you have to behave like a Slytherin, Hermione. I am a Death-Eater officially." He sounded almost as if he was pleading with her.

"But I am a Gryffindor." The words left her mouth before she could do anything to prevent them. And it was right, she was still a Gryffindor.

"No." He looked almost aghast. "You are married to a Head of house. You cannot stay in your dormitory. You belong into the dungeons, to me."

"I am not a possession. I am not YOUR possession Severus Snape! I am not a potion you won somewhere." She felt anger rise in her chest but for some reason it was more at the general situation than directed at the man in whose lap she was sitting. Somehow she found that this was an unfavourable position to argue with her husband.

He tilted her head up with two fingers and bend down so his face was mere inches from hers. His eyes looked amused again as if he had expected her to say something like this.

"But still you are married to me my dear. And that means we are going to have to share quarters." His voice sounded silken again. 

She groaned. "I want a divorce." She was dead serious.

Seeing his puzzled expression she relented. "It's a muggle thing. If somebody doesn't want to be married any longer they get divorced. There is something like that in the wizarding world right?" She looked horrified at the prospect that there might not.

He nodded and she relaxed only to tense up again when he added "But it doesn't apply here."

"Why?" 

"Because this was not an ordinary wedding, Hermione. Look at these chains." He tugged at her right arm and she lifted it next to his. The chains glowed even in the semi-darkness they were in now. "It seems that these chains bind us together. So far I can feel your emotions, at least I get a vague idea what you are feeling. And it makes me care." The last was almost said in disgust and Hermione tried hard to stifle a giggle. It didn't work and he shot her a deathly glare. "However I think a 'divorce' as you called it would only be possible if we can get rid of those chains."

Dropping her shoulders Hermione pressed her face into his chest again. Because even she had a fairly good understanding that these chains would refuse any spell. So that meant that she was Severus Snape's wife now and had to live in the dungeons with him. She had to name herself Hermione Snape and was to share bed and everything else with her potions Master. It was a nightmare. That was it. Surely this was only a horrible nightmare and she only had to wake up.

» » » » » » » » » »

Silently Snape watched her pinch her arm. What was up with this girl now? She was irritating him again. Plus it looked like she was hurting herself on purpose and through the strange connection he felt her pain remotely.

Gripping her arms he stilled the movement.

"What are you doing now?" He sounded at the end of his rope and he was. Quite frankly this situation was more than he had ever bargained for and it was beginning to affect him.

When she looked up her eyes were bright again. _Please no more tears._

"I have to wake up myself. I have to wake up from this nightmare."

_Of course! A nightmare! That was what it felt like to her. Being married to him was like a nightmare to her. After all he was the greasy git, the ill tempered potions Master and had absolutely nothing to offer._

Feeling pain so far beyond anything he had ever felt he turned to rage, the only other emotion he was capable of feeling right now. Standing up abruptly which in the end landed Hermione on the floor he took quick steps to the window and stared outside.

"I am sorry that you feel that way but unfortunately this is no nightmare. Of course I understand your reluctance to give up everything, I am almost sure that we will find a way to let you live in your dormitory." His voice was detached and cold but if you listened closely you heard the underlying hurt and pain.

» » » » » » » » » »

Hermione listened. And felt horrible. Would she ever learn to not only think about herself? Of course Snape hadn't volunteered to marry her. He was trapped inside this situation the same as she was. She remembered all the insults students in Hogwarts used to call him and all in a sudden she knew that he was aware of those. And it hurt him. It hurt him that she might be feeling the same way. 

Tentatively she stepped behind him and felt more than see that he tensed. Carefully placing her arms around his middle she rested her head on his back in the soothing material of his robes. 

"I am sorry. I didn't mean it like this, Severus." At the mention of his given name he tensed up even more but she had to make him see. Had to make him see that it was the general concept of being married that scared her not the fact that it was him. "Of course I am going to live in your dungeons with you." She was at a loss for words. What could she else say? That she liked being married to him? That would be a lie. She wasn't sure at all about her feelings concerning him and was desperate to have some time to herself to figure out what it meant. But at the same time she felt a deep pull towards him, something in him that was calling for her. That wanted her to help him. But she couldn't tell him that either. He hated when he needed help. So she turned to something that had worked before when she had been upset. 

Gently she placed her hands on his chest and leaned against his backside so that almost all her weight rested on the potions Master. Not doing anything she inhaled deeply noticing for the first time that he smelled like something she couldn't place for a moment. She had smelled this before, during a lesson with Hagrid. Then knowledge hit her- it was the same smell that lingered in the Forbidden Forest. Wood, herbs, earth and all kinds of plants- all mixed into a wonderful intoxicating scent that she realizing with horror liked.

_Oh my. This is not good. Not at all. I shouldn't even think about these kind of things. He is one of my professors for heaven's sake!_

Slowly he detangled himself from her embrace and turned around gripping her arms almost bruising. His dark eyes were now unreadable again and she saw he had closed himself to her.

"Listen Ms Granger, I know a lot of things have happened here, none of those things was planned or even wanted so please do not think that I am turning into a fluffy bunny here. I am still Severus Snape, Potion Master of Hogwarts and Head of Slytherin, the unfeeling, mean, malevolent and sneering bastard, so please do try to keep that in mind. Obviously this necklace does things to both of us that have to be researched. Until then we try to keep at least one feet physical distance between us and refrain from behaving like we have forgotten who we are. Understood?"

Mentally sighing and scolding herself for even feeling the slightest bit of compassion for this man she nodded mutely not trusting her voice at the moment.

A timid knocking saved her from no doubt some more harsh words and silently she send a prayer of thanks to whoever might listen.

"Ehm, Hermione, Professor Snape?" It was Ginny and she sounded scared.

"Yes." Snape's voice sounded steady and as usual quite intimidating.

"Professor Dumbledore wants you to come downstairs. He said you should both eat something."

Snape looked into her eyes and she saw the unspoken question there.

"In a minute." Hermione's voice quivered a bit but besides that sounded almost normal.

Small steps were heard outside that left down the hallway.

Gulping down the last bits of disappointment and hurt Hermione followed the Professor out.


	4. 4 Facts and Feelings

**4. [ Facts and Feelings ]**

The people around the table were mostly silent with the occasional interruption of Ron who muttered under his breath angry insults at the potions Master. Harry looked at him with concern now and then trying to figure what he could say in Snape's defence. Not that he particularly liked to defend Professor Snape but for some reason he found it hard to believe that he indeed had raped Hermione the way Ron had pointed out before. When Harry had stated that Snape would never do such a thing Ron had stared him with hate in his eyes.

"Oh yeah. Tell me why you are so sure of that. He is a Slytherin and he hates us as he hates all Gryffindors. How else could we have seen what we saw upstairs?"

Somewhere inside Harry wanted to agree with Ron if only to place the blame solely on Snape's shoulders but he couldn't. Too many things were not fitting. Snape never tried anything like this and if he had Harry was sure it would go around the school in no time at all. Dumbledore obviously was not very concerned about the whole debacle and had left already to go to the ministry and if Snape had raped Hermione he was sure that at least Minerva McGonagall would have stayed to protect her best student. But they muttered something about "extraordinary situations" before their return and even Remus Lupin wasn't looking very shocked- maybe surprised and a tad amused.

Molly Weasly was flustered but refused to listen to her son and was therefore busy preparing some tea. Apparently she as well thought the course of events maybe embarrassing but not a reason to be worried. The worst was Tonks- she sat on the floor next to the oven and hummed happily all the while glancing towards the entrance for some reason excited. Moody had left with the two Professors and had seemed equally calm his magical eye rotating wildly- but Harry was not sure what that meant exactly.

But one thing stroke him as most unusual in this matter- when he had caught a glimpse at Hermione upstairs she had locked shocked but not scared. Plus she had been dressed so obviously the rape Ron was muttering about was a bit exaggerated.

When they heard steps on the stairs indicating that somebody was coming downstairs after two hours Harry was relieved. The tension was getting higher and made it difficult to breathe in the small kitchen and Ron's angry tirades did nothing to calm him.

As Hermione stepped into the kitchen followed by Snape she looked flustered but all in all calm and collected. Snape had his usual sneer in place and looked for all the world like he had just returned from a walk in the garden. Without saying a word Hermione sat down next to Harry and gratefully gripped a cup filled with hot tea while Snape leaned in the doorframe and looked above everybody's head out of the window. 

Ron's face had turned red by now and Harry prepared himself for another tirade but instead all in a sudden Ron jumped up and stretched out his hand, his fingers gripping the wand tightly.

"You have five seconds to explain to me why I shouldn't hurt you seriously." The voice sounded very strained and even a tad scared- like Harry Ron could probably remember the duelling club in their second year and how easily Snape had disarmed Lockhart then. 

Harry looked at Ron inquiringly and noticed that his expression showed that beneath the rage he was a tad nervous. Snape was a different matter. He had a cold look full of arrogance on his face and for some reason he had been fast enough to have his wand ready by now. 

"Mr Weasly, while I am sure that it is none of your business what happened between Ms Granger and me, I am equally sure that you have a good chance of being expelled for threatening one of your teachers with your wand."

Two pairs of eyes met, one cold and detached the other one defiant and angry. 

"Hermione is my friend and I have every right to be concerned."

Snape sneered and putting his wand away crossed his arms over his chest.

"Then ask your friend and don't bother me with this nonsense. I have work left to do." With that he turned around his robes billowing behind him and with large steps climbed up the stairs.

Everybody's eyes followed the dark figure until he disappeared and then almost in one move looked at Hermione who still sat in her chair with dark troubled eyes.

"You heard him- obviously it's nonsense." She got up stiffly and hugging herself moved to the door. "Excuse me, I have to catch up on some reading. School is starting in a fortnight after all."

With that she left and moved into the direction of the library next to the living room.

Tonks sniffled silently. "Poor thing."

» » » » » » » » » » »

His room seemed strangely empty and gloomy as he stood at the window staring out into the night. Granted nothing really had changed here in the room and it had always been like that around here- since he joined the Order and this room had been assigned to him last year. He had never sat a foot into Snape Mansion since he had turned his back on the Dark Arts- some old house elves kept it for the time being but it was not a place he wanted to call home any longer.

Not that he actually had a place to call like that. Hogwarts came probably closest to that but in reality the dungeons were unfriendly and he had never made an attempt to turn it into something more comfortable. In his opinion he was in no position to deserve a place like home, a warm place full of love and tenderness. Nobody could possibly love him of all people. The children in Hogwarts maybe thought he didn't knew what they called him but in truth he did. Greasy old git, was probably the least insulting. He could have taken House points for that but as much as he tried to he couldn't. Not when he shared these sentiments, not when he probably deserved each and every insult thrown his way. Albus had once told him not to crucify himself but it was the only way for him to deal with the disaster his life was so far.

He had been one of the best students in Hogwarts in his time and it was always remarked that he was a promising child. With his grades and his skills in the Dark Arts he could have done everything, including becoming an Auror. But instead he had turned to Power and Darkness and had received punishment.

Pushing up his left sleeve he looked at the ugly reminder of his failure. It was nearly translucent now and he was glad not to feel the Dark Lord calling him in this moment. His thoughts and emotions were tumbling inside and he needed time to recollect before he could face Lucius and the others. And he didm't doubt that there would be another meeting soon. With Lucius and some other captives being freed from Akzaban in the last weeks he was almost sure that Voldemort would be back very soon. He always managed somehow and even Albus dreaded it would be in the next weeks.

How would he explain what had happened here? How could he possibly answer the question why he, one of the men in the inner circle and a close and trusted Death Eater, was married to a Mudblood? And that question would arise he was sure. Lucius had a manner of enjoying torture and he was envious of his closeness to the Dark Lord, always had been. He wouldn't let a moment of revenge, the chance of awakening The Dark Lord's distrust, pass.

Maybe to go with an edited version of the truth would be the way to deal with it. He could tell them about the necklace and his missing knowledge about the nature of the use and maybe he would get away with it.

If Hermione agreed to behave in a certain way he could even convince the other Death Eaters and Voldemort that she was no danger and they would let her be.

But knowing her and her stubborn nature she would insist of remaining a true Gryffindor and that would be hard to explain. Mentally cringing he tried to imagine a situation in which he was forced to bring her to one of the Dark meetings. He had to make sure that she wasn't forced to these atrocities, that she wasn't tainted with his blood.

He tensed as he felt a tugging at his inner bond connecting him to his wife. It was hard to distinguish between the different emotions but right now the feelings were of a negative nature.

Instantly alert he headed towards the door. It was almost impossible that she was attacked here in the headquarter of the Order with Tonks around but he would take no risks. As quickly as possible he rushed down the stairs and to his surprise felt her pulling at himself not from the kitchen but from the library. Frowning he pulled his wand and opened the heavy wooden door braising himself for the coming confrontation.

» » » » » » » » » »

Slumping into one of the big stuffed arm chairs Hermione curled into a ball with just her dark curls visible from across the room. Sighing she tried to calm her emotions enough to get some reasonable thought done. It felt hard to believe that all this had happened in just one day, that her life had been turned upside down in just twelve hours.

She was married now.

Raising her head she looked at the arm chain that shone dimly in the semi-darkness of the room. It was the same material as the necklace and it felt warm and comfortable around her wrist- not like it was as solid as it appeared to be. 

But nobody had ever asked if she was ready to be married. Nobody had even cared to know about her opinion on this matter. It had all happened without her consent and somewhere inside she felt abused. Not really by her husband and not in the literal sense but by fate, by a stupid necklace that had forced her into a position she didn't feel comfortable in.

Her cheeks glowed as she remembered that she had kissed Professor Snape of all people. Her feared potions professor and according to Ron and Harry the greasy old bastard who lived in the dusty dungeons because nobody wanted him around.

She remembered it like it was yesterday, that day after school had started following the Christmas break, when she had sat in the common room with the boys and they had talked about all kinds of things including the potions Master. Back then she had to force herself to smile because she thought it disrespectful to think of a teacher like that, prefect and all, but now it raised other emotions in her.

Like compassion and anger. He wasn't that bad really as a person when he was not his icy self which granted he turned into far too often. Having glimpsed behind the mask she found a very passionate, dry humoured and surprisingly gentle man. A man she felt drawn to in more ways than she could excuse with the necklace and old ancient magic. After her crush on him in her third year had faded she had always tried to stay impartial where he was concerned. The boys simply hated him and it was easier that way. But now she felt ashamed of all the times they had made fun of him or insulted him and she had not protested. It was easy to agree with everybody else that he was a scornful, mean bastard when in reality she had never believed that this was all there was to the man.

Even back then without all she knew now, in her third year she had sensed that he was very much alike to her in many ways. Sometimes she felt utterly misplaced in her world as if she feared that nobody would understand her thirst for knowledge, her need to prove herself and the love for books. She knew that everybody respected her for the times she helped others with homework and learning but she longed for somebody who wouldn't take advantage of her like that. Somebody who would respect her for her smartness and her work, somebody like Snape in the end.

In his chamber she had noticed the many books he had obviously began to read for some reason and if she tried a little she could imagine him sitting in the uncomfortable chair reading the time away while others like Tonks or Moody where downstairs in the kitchen. It might seem lonely to some, this life, but in reality it wasn't. Books were like good old friends that gave you entertainment like no living being could. It was the reason she was in the library so much during school year and the reason she was here now.

Uncurling she noticed for the first time a strange mirror on the table in the middle of the room. It was positioned in a way that you could easily look inside if you sat on exactly the arm chair she slumped in now. And to her surprise she saw herself as if seen from the ceiling. 

For a moment she wondered what the mirror was about but then realization dawned. They had watched her with this mirror. Professor Dumbledore and very likely even Snape. Taking a deep breath to calm the feeling of betrayal she walked to the window and stared outside without seeing anything. She felt humiliated by them all. They had watched her in all kinds of awkward and intimate situations without asking her for her consent. Finally with some satisfaction she had found something to blame Snape for. She couldn't blame him for the whole debacle with the necklace because he had appeared honestly shocked when the marriage thing had happened but this he was guilty for. 

She let the anger boil a bit and clenched her fists. She had the perfect excuse now to go upstairs and do something to get rid of her frustrations- she could throw a tantrum and rage at him and he could do absolutely nothing to defend himself because in this he had failed.

For a moment she really considered leaving but then her posture fell. Even for that she couldn't blame him because in all likelihood he had done it to protect her, to keep her safe and he wasn't the kind of person to enjoy invading somebody's privacy. He was a very private person from what she had seen, in Hogwarts he never shared more than he had to. So again she was left with nothing but her anger, frustration and panic and no way to share them with anybody.

Ron was very likely still angry and Harry hated Snape as well. The others were in all reality still strangers for her and Snape had made it very clear what he thought of this debacle.

_Nonsense. Again anger boiled but this time mixed with hurt. She had tried to make up for her carelessness regarding his feelings, had even tried to be gentle to him and he had the decency to call it all nonsense. That was what she received for being tender, that was the way he treasured her honesty._

Feeling tears bubble up inside and unable to stop them she stood leaning against the cool glass and let them fall. Hermione Granger felt more alone than ever before in her life.

» » » » » » » » » »

After already sensing her emotions he was not overly surprised to find Hermione Granger, his wife and obviously a person who loved to cry judging from this day's events, leaning against the window glass shaking with sobs. 

Sighing softly he prayed to whomever might listen that it was just the course of today's events that made her cry so often and not a character trait because he was bound to be an unpleasant person sometimes. If she always cried living with her would be more difficult than he anticipated.

Silently as not to startle her he leaned against the door frame and concentrated until he could almost feel the heat radiating from her body and somewhere in his loins he felt certain parts of his body stirring alive. Why was it now that his hormones decided to remind him that they were still existing even after almost ten years of celibacy. 

He tensed as the fact that the girl standing in front of him was only 15 years old and he had kissed her made itself known. Of course there was the fact that their actions were triggered by the necklace and ancient magic but it was never a man to hide behind things. And even in his frenzy this evening he had realized that she had been inexperienced.

Quietly turning around he went upstairs again trying to figure out a way to make it up to her. He would explain some things to her about the necklace and why she wore it in the first place and then he would discuss with her living arrangements and the fact that he would never touch her again. Later. When he had thought about his feelings and sorted some things out he would talk to her.

Sighing at his own lack of courage he climbed the stairs feeling older than ever. Why by Merlin's beard was life always so cruel to him? Why was it never easy?


	5. 5 Explanations

**5. [ Explanations ]**

Albus Dumbledore was a patient man, a man with plenty of experience in all kinds of different situations but this was something he had to admit in which he couldn't rely on his expertise. Too much was at stake here, too many things had to be balanced in this case to take this decision easy or to judge the matter without seriously considering all possible consequences.

Leaning back in the big chair her tried to chase the exhaustion away but in times like these he felt all of his 152 years in all their gravity. He wanted to close his eyes and rest a bit but just one look at the parchment on the table made him resume his line of thoughts.

Sighing he tried to figure out a way to alter the way things had proceeded but once again he was harshly reminded why the prophecies were so important for the ministry; because each and every one was destined to happen and did in the end. In this he had hoped that fate would spare him to watch this and being forced to remain detached and under no circumstances was he to interfere. He had never been so tempted to use his magic to alter the way things would happen but his reasonable self held him back.

He had to watch even if he knew that it would lead to hurt and fear and the possibility of loosing one or two of the brightest people at Hogwarts but it had to happen. It was the way it was done and it was never his decision how things turned out. Time would tell and until then all he could do was lean back and watch. 

Sighing again for the hundredth time he popped a lemon drop in hope it would make things easier to watch. As he had dreaded it didn't.

» » » » » » » » » »

When the clicking of the huge wooden clock pronounced that it was after midnight Hermione sighed and placed the book she had been reading for the last three hours on the small side table next to the heavy bookshelf. It was time to go upstairs and get some sleep- only that she had no idea what the sleeping arrangements were. She figured she could just check the kitchen if maybe somebody was still awake and if not she might be forced to do the unthinkable- ask Severus Snape where she was to sleep.

In the last hours she had avoided thinking about the potions Master but now she realized that it had not served her well. She still wasn't clear what she felt in regards for him, nor had she any idea how to confront him the next time and somewhere inside she couldn't fight a feeling of apprehension about the whole situation. Not that it was something she liked to think about but somewhere deep inside a part of her was glad that it was Snape who owned that necklace- not that it helped the predicament any. But there would have been harsher choices- she shuddered thinking about maybe being married to Moody. Not that she disliked him but he gave her a feeling of unease every time she was around him and with Snape at least she had a vague idea how to deal with since she had known him for five years.

_And at least he is quite handsome._

Where had that thought come from? Snape wasn't handsome. At least not in the usual sense but he had something about him that made him intriguing and she sensed that he was a man of many layers. But honestly it wasn't as if she fancied him, was it?

Suppressing a giggle she raised herself from the arm chair and tried to calm her hair. Professor Snape was a teacher, an authority figure for her and more than two decades older than she was; a former Death Eater and now spy for Dumbledore's Order and one of the best potions Masters in Europe- you couldn't fancy a man like him. And she knew that she wasn't ready for anything else.

Making her way into the kitchen she mused about this some more and so it took a while until she realized who was sitting at the dark kitchen table, alone over a steaming cup of tea.

Snape.

She halted and met his eyes in the semi-darkness with determination and as much dignity as she could muster somehow realizing his look was a challenge. He kept her eyes for a moment and then averted his gaze chuckling to himself.

The sound alone was silken and unusual for her ears so she simply stared at him wondering shortly what had gotten into him.

He motioned for her to sit down opposite from him and as she did a cup of tea appeared in front of her. Gratefully gripping the hot steaming cup she raised it to her lips and carefully took a small sip. It was boiling hot but at least it warmed her in the chilly darkness.

For a second they remained silent until Snape raised his eyes again and bored them into her.

"Slytherins love to stare others down. A Slytherin never averts the eyes first if he is not forced to. Keep that in mind when dealing with them in school."

She nodded mutely silently wondering why he told her that and what they were doing in the deserted, dark kitchen at this time of the night. After some more minutes of silence as she had just decided to break it he continued his voice not showing any emotion.

"Four weeks ago we were owled form the ministry about Lucius Malfoy. As you know he had been arrested after the events in the Ministry of Magic last year and had been imprisoned into Azkaban to serve a life sentence there?" Checking for confirmation he nodded and continued. "At first we were concerned but not as much as we probably should have been since I know what Lucius Malfoy is capable of. Then I was owled by an old friend of mine who turned his back on the Dark Arts shortly before did. He confirmed a suspicion of mine that Malfoy's escape was planned to get revenge and obviously the target was not Harry but you Ms Granger." 

"M-me?" Her voice quivered and she tried to still the shaking of her hands.

"Yes, you. My friend couldn't name any reason only a guess that it was probably because you were a muggle born witch and had helped Harry in defeating the Dark Lord at the end of last year as well as before. When Dumbledore heard about these events he decided that you should be protected by a potent wizard with enough power to keep you safe from Malfoy and his decision in the end was that it was to be me."

As he paused Hermione dared to ask a question. "But why you? No offence but since I am not in Slytherin and you are not my Head of house?"

Snape nodded and silently chuckled. "I told Dumbledore that Minerva was your Head of house and she was more suited for the task but he insisted. Basically he told me to come up with a way to not only watch you while you were at home but also for a way to protect you with my magic even if I wasn't around. I remembered the necklace and showed it to Albus. Now, you have to believe me Ms Granger that I had no idea what happens once the necklace was properly applied; it is a family inheritance, actually one of the few I still value and it has been given always to the first born son. I assumed since all their wives had carried the necklace as a kind of protection charm I could use it for this purpose. You know the rest of the story and I want to apologize for the course events have taken and hope you trust me enough to believe that I only had your best interest in mind."

Hermione gulped as she heard the words. Severus Snape had just apologized to her. It was unheard of that he ever admitted he was wrong but here they were and he just expressed his remorse over the whole debacle. Not trusting her voice at the moment she tentatively moved her fingers to his arm and gripped it shortly and simply nodded. 

Again silence stretched until her curiosity won the inner battle of wills.

"Professor Snape, may I ask you a question?"

Raising one elegant brow he nodded almost hesitantly. You never knew what Hermione came up with in the end.

"What are we doing now that we are married? How are things going to be like once we are back in school?"

The potions Master turned his gaze to the window and almost looked pained.

"I have contacted Albus this evening and asked for his advice. He expressed the view that it would be best to move your things into the dungeons so that I can be with you in a moment if need arises." As he saw the disappointment in her eyes he raised a hand. "However, I insisted that you stay in Gryffindor house and you can still use the common room and during the day you are quite safe in the castle so you don't have to be around me all the time. You only have to return in the evening and other than that I think you can resume your normal life."

Relieved Hermione let out a breath and as she looked up from the table she smiled at the man sitting at the other end of the table.

"Thank you Professor. Not that I don't want to… not that I do- well not really but also I don't want to imply that-"

Snape grimaced and again raised a pale hand as if in defence.

"Please spare me more of your babbling, Ms Granger. I understand completely. I didn't really look forward to live with you either so let's drop the pleasantries. I am still the same evil sneering bastard as always just if you thought I had been magically transformed into a gentleman- I am not."

To his surprise she smiled and her hand rested on his lower arm again- the rosy flesh nicely contrasted by the black sleeve.

"You are still Professor Snape and I am aware of that. But I refuse to share your low opinion about yourself. You have been nothing but caring and helpful in the last hours and you have giving me not one moment to question you being a gentleman." For a moment their eyes locked and hazel brown met opal black. Then she pulled her hand back and got up. "So, now that that's settled there really is just one more question I want to have answered tonight."

Joining her in getting up he offered his arm to her. Surprised she accepted it and together they walked into the dark hallway.

"Where am I sleeping?"

Snape paused in the dark space at the stairs and looked up into the darkened hallway.

"I am sure Albus would suggest the safest would be in my room but I also understand if you resist. I am sure we can figure out a spell to ward your room if you want to."

Hermione heard the challenge in the words- a Gryffindor would probably be courageous and stay alone tonight but a Slytherin would maybe be more cautious. Smiling she nodded as she reached her conclusion.

"I think I trust Professor Dumbledore in this. So, will you lead the way, Professor Snape?"

For a moment Snape looked stunned but then he began to climb the stairs without another word.


	6. 6 Back in the Castle

**6. [ Back in the Castle ]**

To her surprise the rest of the two weeks passed in relative peace without her or Snape mentioning the bond ever again. She used to sleep in his room which was really the only alteration from her ordinary life and somewhere inside she knew she should feel worried that it felt so natural; actually she feared the day they were to be in school again when she had to lodge in her own room again- it was in the dungeons but nevertheless away from him.

At night Lucius Malfoy was in her dreams and it was far from pleasant. The worst was that she felt like dirt every time she woke up after one of the nightmares in which he was successful and took her to Malfoy mansion and usually tortured her. Never had she known that she had such a vivid imagination with all the torture techniques she invented of which the imperius curse was the most pleasant one all in all. She had trouble keeping the dreams from Snape but usually she suffered quietly, even in her dreams and so far she excused incidents like attacking the potions Master in sleep with bad memories from the ministry at the end of last year.

She could tell he was suspicious but for some unexplainable reason she hesitated telling him about the nightmares. She was a Gryffindor after all and she felt perfectly safe at his side. He didn't sleep much but he usually read until the wee hours of morning and then dozed off for a couple of hours. He never left the house and most of the days he was in the library reading as well.

Hermione spend time with the Weaslys and Harry which didn't go without much discussions like the one yesterday after dinner.

Ginny had started it involuntarily by mentioning Snape in a remark about the coming school year.

"I wonder if he will still be as strict as last year. I mean we basically lived here the whole summer and I even talked to him a couple of times."

Harry grimaced. "Don't see why that should change, Ginny. I mean he is Snape after all, the evil mean sneering bat from the dungeons." 

"And let's not forget that he thinks being nice and smiling are a crime, the perverted Bastard." Ron had resumed to insulting Snape in all ways he could, favouring 'perverted Bastard' for the last week.

She had taken her three friends aside the morning after the incident with the necklace and explained things to them which had resulted in Harry and Ginny being very understanding and agreeing to Dumbledore's plan that Snap was to protect her. Only Ron had simply mumbled something and then disappeared. The looks he send in Snape's direction at meals or when he met him in the house were full of hatred and venom. Hermione tried to ignore it mostly but now she had reached her limit of understanding.

"Okay, just to make things clear, Ronald Weasly: I won't tolerate any deliberate insults about Professor Snape any longer. And especially the term 'perverted Bastard' says a lot about your maturity and capability of understanding. Harry and Ginny have listened to my story and dealt. I have told you the story a couple of days ago, so please deal already. Professor Snape has shown nothing but care and manners in the last days and I feel safe sleeping next to him- yes _next to him, Ron! Nothing else has happened- he doesn't try to grope me nor does he try to get intimate in any other way. Just because you are too immature to deal with a situation like this, it doesn't mean he is as well. I am fed up with it quite frankly and if it doesn't stop I am reconsidering the fact that you are one of my friends."_

With that she got up strangely satisfied with the stunned expression in Ron's face and left the kitchen to go to bed. She was deep in thoughts about why she felt so apprehensive about joining Snape in his room every night that she didn't notice the dark tall figure in a hidden corner next to the kitchen door.

Severus Snape was rarely stunned and speechless. Tonight the girl had succeeded in achieving just that and a small flicker of a smile graced his stern features for a moment. It was a shame that he was who he was, and silently he admitted that some of the insults that Weasly boy had uttered in the last days were not completely untrue, for this girl had a way of getting close to him like no one before.

» » » » » » » » » »

Tonks accompanied them to King's Cross station the next morning. Hermione felt a bit awkward for some reason but couldn't place where the bad feelings came from. It was a cloudy day with a chill in the air  and as the black ministry cars got into the London traffic Hermione felt all in a sudden cold and numb.

The necklace felt cold against her skin as well and all in a sudden she could name the feeling- loss. She felt she had lost something precious and judging from the necklace and its cold material it was probably Snape she was missing. True, he hadn't spent every second with her in the last days but at least he had been in the same house and she knew in case of emergency he was near. Now she felt a black void where usually she felt the presence of Snape inside and it hurt.

He had told her that he would apparate to the castle ground's boundaries and they would see each other in the Great Hall but for some reason that had disappointed her immensely. What had she expected? That he would take the Hogwarts Express with her? Or that she was to apparate with him? There was probably no reason to do so. Dumbledore had told her before he left that she was safe on the train but something in Snape's eyes had signalled her that he disagreed.

Somewhere inside she knew that Snape felt probably the same- at least she hoped that it was due to the bond that linked her to the potions Master that she was feeling so lost and uneasy. And something else occurred to her as she was sitting next to Harry in the department on their way to Hogwarts- Ron made her feel awkward. She had no idea if it was because Snape disliked him or because he wasn't agreeing with the whole situation but Hermione felt almost relieved when the train moved to a halt in Hogsmead and she could get out of the small department.

Looking around as she hopped from the train she saw the huge figure of Hagrid shouting for the first years and noticed some other students from her year moving towards the lake in a crowd of people that soon separated her from Harry and Ron.

"Come her." She felt him a moment before he uttered the words quietly and turned around relief showing on her face combined with the most sincere smile of affection. Without thinking she gripped the tall dark figure of Severus Snape and clutched him tight in an almost bruising embrace.

For a short moment he returned the hug but then moved away almost as if he remembered where they were.

"We apparate to the castle grounds." He gripped her hand and pulled her away from the crowd behind one of the station buildings. "Albus has arranged that you get your licence earlier and we have his expressed permission to apparate together." Looking into her pale thoughtful face he gently cupped her cheek.

"I felt so lost." Her voice was small and soft so that the wind almost carried it away.

After a short moment of hesitation Snape placed his arms around her shoulders and pressed her small form to his, gently caressing her hair as she snuggled into his robes.

It hadn't been very long since he had last hold her in London before they had gone to breakfast together but it had felt like an eternity for her. Grateful for his understanding she nuzzled the fabric of his black robe and tried to memorize his scent of herbs, wood and sandalwood. 

Placing a soft kiss on her forehead and then gently extracting himself from her Snape took her hand again and when his eyes met hers a short expression of softness was shown.

"We have to go now. Ready?"

After a short nod from her the two disappeared from the platform leaving the students behind.

» » » » » » » » » »

The two figures that moved across the ground in the direction of the side entrance from where Minerva knew it was only a short walk to the dungeons looked very awkward matched. The tall dark hook-nosed potions Master with his flying robes and the usual sneer on his face who strode across the lawn with long strides and the tiny bushy-haired constantly babbling Gryffindor prime student who had to almost run to keep up with him. They looked awkward if you didn't know them very well.

Minerva knew Severus Snape now for almost three decades. He had been a student here when she had taught and it had been painful to see him turn from a bright brilliant promising student into his dark tortured self-loathing self and on more than one occasion had she wished for things to be different for her colleague. Contrary to popular faith she didn't hate Severus- it was mostly house rivalry that made them bicker so much at school but she trusted him because she knew Albus trusted him. Never in all her life had she imagined to see him enduring the constant chatter of a teenaged Gryffindor witch while pretending to be his vicious self when he had trouble hiding the amused grin from appearing on his stern features. The way he placed his hand on the small back of Hermione's tiny figure and the implicit trust the girl showed by leaning into him slightly was all the proof she needed that Severus Snape, evil monster of sneering remarks, was drawn to her like he had never been drawn to anybody else.

Turning around to her life companion and best friend and facing his twinkling expression she frowned.

"I see it, Albus, but it could be just the necklace. After all I have never seen Severus so- "she hesitated and continued softly "friendly."

The headmaster considered the thought for a moment and then shook his head slowly.

"The necklace only caused for an ancient wedding ritual to take place but it never altered any feelings. It seems that these two had friendly feelings before these interesting developments altered their lives." Silently chuckling he leaned back in his chair.

"Albus are you implying what I think you are implying?" said Minerva her voice rising an octave.

"What am I implying my dear?" Albus said still obviously amused.

"That this old bat had an inappropriate relationship with my most brilliant student before this necklace accident happened!"

"No. I am not implying that. I said they probably liked each other but I have complete trust in Severus and he would never seriously consider a relationship like this with a student. I simply meant that he in all likelihood felt drawn to her for reasons he sure couldn't explain."

Placing herself in another chair the head of house sighed.

"And now? Everybody in the house could see how they behaved in the last weeks with each other. Molly Weasly was concerned and even threatened me several times to send me a howler if something happened to her sweet Hermione. A howler! I didn't have it in me to tell her that these things were only allowed for students. If they continue with this tension and their public display of affection it will cause rumours."

Nodding Albus raised himself from his place behind the desk.

"I know, I know. I have to make an announcement of sorts tonight to explain things. We have to be extremely careful. Severus talked with me last night and expressed concern over the fact that Hermione Granger could be in danger of raising the suspicion of Voldemort or one of his Death Eaters once they have re-grouped. He made it very clear the he had to tell them something but wasn't sure to which extent to avert any danger from our student." Noticing his colleague's raised brows he smiled. "Severus is really fond of her and wants to protect her Minerva. We have to find a way to explain things to the school and the ministry so that it won't cause any uproar."

Sighing he sank down again and contemplated his options. There really was only one way to stop the ministry but it would be difficult to explain this to Voldemort without raising any suspicions. And his potions Master wouldn't like the idea as well. But laws were laws and it was his duty to make sure they got through these events unharmed. Why was it always him who had to make the difficult decisions? 


	7. 7 The Serpent's Dent

**7. [ The Serpent's Dent ]**

The flames let shadows dance over her face and she pulled the blanket tighter around her frail body warming her fingers with a cup of hot steaming tea. On the way across the grounds she had experienced that the weather could be quite chilly even in September and so she was happy to curl up in the large arm chair in front of the now lit chimney.

Snape had decided that she was to wait here in the dungeons without attending dinner as he was unsure how things would turn out to be with Dumbledore's announcement. Filled with only a tiny bit of apprehension as of the reaction of her schoolmates she realized that it should indeed bother her more how they would react. But truth be told it didn't and right now she closed her eyes and drifted into sleep.

She couldn't have been sleeping for long when she felt a slight tugging at her arm and slowly opened her eyes. Dobby stood before her jumping up and down in excitement dressed as usual in wildly coloured clothes that looked quite mismatched. 

"Oh, oh Miss, Dobby hopes Miss is not angry. Master told Dobby to bring dinner for Miss and Master will be mad when Miss complains about Dobby."

Taking in a deep breath and realizing that she was indeed hungry she noticed for the first time the tray with a nice selection of some meat, vegetables and potatoes with a piece of cake and a glass of pumpkin juice. Beaming down at Dobby she carefully extended her limbs.

"No Dobby, don't worry. I am glad you woke me up, I am awfully hungry. Thanks."

Smiling proudly Dobby jumped even higher.

"Anything else Dobby can do for Miss? Anything, Dobby can do!"

"No thank you. I am fine for now. But Dobby, can you tell me where my belongings are. They aren't still in Gryffindor tower?" asked Hermione already fearing she had to face her friends tonight.

But thankfully Dobby shook his head and pointed to a door at one end of the cosy living room.

"Dobby got it here this afternoon. Master told Dobby to get rooms for Miss ready and Dobby did. Everything is here already."

"Thank you again, Dobby. You can leave now. You were great help."

Beaming one more time he snipped his fingers and was gone. Without further ado Hermione gripped her fork and knife and started enjoying the delicious food until she felt utterly stuffed. Contently she leaned back in the chair sipping on the juice.

Why couldn't life always be like this? So easy, so enjoyable? Sighing she looked up and inspected the room for the first time. It was warm and cosy with one wall right to the door being almost completely filled with a large chimney and lots of shelves filled with books. In front of the room were two arm chairs with pillows and blankets and a wooden ebony table in between. A dark red carpet covered most of the wooden floor and a desk and a chair stood underneath an enchanted window which showed a dark garden right now. Another cupboard was placed adjacent to the door which obviously led to her bedroom. On the other side of the room in a corner there was another door leading someplace else.

After what seemed like hours but was in reality not more than a couple of minutes she raised herself from her comfortable chair and crossed the floor to have a closer look at her bedroom. It was held mostly in wood and some scarlet colours and looked like the living room very inviting. A door led to a small but wonderful bathroom complete with a tub and all kinds of bath oils and a huge wardrobe filled most of the wand left to the door. The room was dominated by a huge four poster bed with a scarlet curtain and a small night table. Her belongings were placed around the room and Crookshanks who was still insulted that he had to share his bed in London with Snape was curled up on the bed and ignored her.

Chuckling she exited the room and took a closer look at the books on the beautiful carved shelf and was delighted when it turned out to be valuable books which she suspected were part of the potions Master's collection. Her look fell on the small hidden door and her curiosity made her push down the handle. Carefully she opened the door and stood in another world.

It was a bedroom like hers but completely barren. Cold stone floor and stone walls, an unlit chimney and no window made the room look like a prison cell in Azkaban. A small bed with dark green sheets stood on one wall and a tiny cupboard was placed across the room. A very old and rampaged wardrobe stood in the corner.

Tentatively she stepped into the room and closed the door behind her. She felt a painful pull in her stomach as to who owned this room. Crossing the room she found her suspicions confirmed when she saw the small trunk with Severus personal things in one corner obviously placed here by a house elf. Nowhere was anything nice, anything with colours besides the sheets and she heavily sat down on the bed.

Why was he living like that? This wasn't at all like he wanted to feel at home here. Nobody should live in such a cold heartless environment.

She heard a metal clicking sound as if somebody was opening the door and before she could react a door next to the wardrobe opened and Snape stepped into the room. His face looked surprised for a moment when he noticed his visitor but then his sneer was in place again.

"And I was already looking for you. I should have just considered the fact that you are a Gryffindor and would succumb to you curiosity and gone here straight away."

Her face was unreadable and frowning he stepped closer trying to figure out what was wrong with this girl. 

"Do you live here, Professor Snape?" Her voice sounded pained.

Nodding he stepped to the trunk and got some books out of it withdrawing from the temptation to simply kick her out. It wasn't his nature to let people interrogate him and he had an awful feeling that this was what she was trying to do.

"There are no personal things here. Do you have another room?"

Pointing towards another door he turned around placing the books in a shelf over the cupboard. "I have my office which is over there and my living room which has been transformed to suit your tastes."

Her face had paled. "But, I know your office and it is awful. There is nothing beautiful there and it simply looks like a tomb. You cannot live in here-" she said pointing around her in the small room.

Turning around he leaned against the empty stone wall and crossed his arms in front of his chest.

"And, pray tell, why not?"

Getting up Hermione made the short distance to the tall figure of the potions Master and grasped his arm forcing him to uncross them.

"Because this is not good for you, Severus." Gazing into his black depth she remembered him telling her to never loose a staring duel with a Slytherin and held his angry and defiant glance. 

His voice had turned soft and silken which she had learned in the last fourteen days was a sign that he was getting annoyed.

"Who says that, Hermione?"

"I say that." She had to admit it was harder to hold his gaze now that his eyes had turned stormy and she had the impression that mentally he was counting to ten.

"Oh, and why do you think you have gained the right to judge about things like this?"

"Because I care." It was almost whispered but she saw the short gleam of shock in his eyes before they turned dark again.

"Be that as it may, but I choose to live like this. It's my decision Hermione."

Sighing she cast her glance through the room again. "I still don't see why anybody would want to live like this. But you are right, it is your decision and if you really want to live here in these surroundings I will accept that."

Satisfied he nodded and after a second of hesitation her gently placed his right arm on her shoulder. His voice sounded almost a tad uncertain.

"Was that our first argument?"

She shook her head and smiled carefully as not to make him feel laughed about.

"No, we just discussed a principle. I am glad we are okay. Are we?"

"Yes. Have you eaten already?"

Understanding his need to change the subject she turned towards the living room.

"Dobby brought me some dinner. It was delicious as always."

Gracefully she sank into the comfortable arm chair and tugged her legs under herself. Snape approached the cupboard and poured himself a fire whiskey.

"How was the feast?" Her voice sounded muffled by her hair but she felt awfully tired all in a sudden.

Sitting down on the other chair Snape shrugged off his robe and rolled up the sleeves of his black shirt.

"It went well. Albus informed the students of the fact that through ancient magic we are now bonded and that it was an accident of sorts. He also announced that you were to stay in the dungeons for further protection. I think we won't be facing any more questions."

"Good." It sounded drowsy and her head sank down on her shoulder. 

Chuckling the potions Master sipped from his glass taking the opportunity to watch Hermione. Her face was partially hidden by dark curls and her neck bowed down in a graceful curve. Pity she was a student and so young- it didn't happen often that a woman combined a nice appearance with a brilliant brain. Never had so far to such an extent that he had considered to stay.

Drowning the whiskey he got up and made the glass disappear with a wave of his wand. Gently he pushed most of the hair from her face and realized that the girl was sleeping. Smiling for once without all the sneering and venom he carefully picked her up and carried her to her bedroom. With another wave of his wand she was dressed in her pyjamas and he tenderly tugged her in.

Straightening he gently placed a soft kiss on her forehead and whispered "Good night". When he left the room Hermione smiled softly.

» » » » » » » » » » 

_… it was dark here, wherever here was. She had awoken  and realized with sudden horror that she was chained to a wall with iron cuffs that differed so much from the velvet chain around her wrist, the one that declared her marriage to Severus Snape to the world. Somehow she knew that it was destined to be, it was what would have to happen and she knew she should wear it with pride instead of shame._

_A face appeared in the darkness. Dumbledore. He would free her. But there was no twinkle in his eyes this time. He seemed distant and dead serious. _

_"Professor, please help me." Her voice was confident that he would._

_"This is where you are meant to be Hermione. It is your destiny. I can't and I won't free you from it my child." He sounded honestly miserable about that._

_"But why do I belong here? And where is here?"_

_He shook his head and averted his eyes._

_"Too soon my dear. It will all become clear to you why fate has decided to put you in exactly this place. Later…"_

Hermione awoke and felt her heart beating rapidly away in her chest. She felt not really afraid like when she had awoken from one of the nightmares with Malfoy, more very uneasy and – well maybe partly scared.

For a moment she hesitated and clutched the blanket to her chest in a vain attempt to chase off the negative feelings. She could have never said why she felt so strongly about that dream, only that she somehow knew it was of importance. The things Dumbledore had said were important for her but she didn't like the sound of it much.

Getting up and tipping over the soft carpet she crossed the space until she reached the door to Snape's bedroom. Shortly she really considered going inside but then she rather grasped a scarlet bathrobe and left the living room. Maybe taking a short walk in the dungeons would make her so tired that she would be able to sleep. She only had to make sure that she didn't come near the entrance to the Slytherin common room. Filch never was down here since he trusted Snape to cover that area. If Snape found her she knew he would simply take her back probably without taking any house points. 

Carefully she kept track of where she was going as not to get lost but she had a pretty good orientation so she wasn't majorly worried. If all things failed she could apparate back- apparating inside the Hogwarts grounds was possible as Snape had told her in the afternoon. It was eerie and very dark in the dungeon so she cast a light with her wand. It wasn't doing much but at least she could see where she was going. The corridors looked old and worn here as if nobody had walked this path for a long time. There were no doors here and the corridor seemed to lead straight into the darkness.

After what felt like an eternity she reached a wooden door with an incurved crest on it- the snake gave away that it was the Slytherin crest. It glowed in a soft green colour and Hermione could have sworn that the door had appeared out of nowhere a second ago. By now her Gryffindor curiosity had been challenged and carefully she touched the handle and pushed it down.

» » » » » » » » » »

In the same moment Severus Snape woke from his restless sleep and hastily left his room to have a look at Hermione. He had the strangest dream and he had to make sure that she was sound sleeping in her bed. Even before he saw her vacated bed he knew that he had failed in protecting her. Albus Dumbledore sat on her bed watching him gravely.

"It's time Severus. She has just entered the chamber and you have to prepare for when she will return. I have to visit the ministry to consult with some friends. In case you need me use the usual way to contact me."

With that he was gone as if he had turned to air and left Severus Snape alone in his wife's bedroom contemplating the unfairness of life. Sighing he left the room and began to dress. He had work to do.

» » » » » » » » » » » » 

The room she now stood in was huge. It was more spacious than the great hall simply because there was nothing in it but a huge stone throne that was empty right now. It reminded her a bit of the chamber of secrets; even so she had never been there Harry had told her about his experience in all detail. It looked very worn and some stone columns had collapsed and the room was at some places covered with water that was collected in puddles.

Curiously Hermione stepped nearer to a column and had a closer look at it. It was very large, more than twice the size of Professor Snape and had an even surface. To her surprise the material looked a bit like the material her necklace was made of, only not silvery but almost black for some reason. When she touched it it felt cold and dead.

There were no ornaments on the columns only some old runes that Hermione had never seen in her life. Regretting that Snape wasn't with her she moved away from the column and closer to the throne. It was even larger when she got nearer and it was obviously from the same material as the rest of the hall. This time there were ornaments- serpents of all kinds and various no doubt old runes and symbols. For a moment she considered all facts and then understanding began to dawn. She was somewhere in the dungeons and judging from the turns she had taken this hall was located somewhere underneath the lake. In this room serpents were no doubt the most common decoration and when she rubbed a bit on some part of the throne underneath the black some greenish colour appeared.

It all screamed Slytherin here in the end. But what was this place for? She tried to understand why she felt not at all alien here, not like she was uncomfortable around a place where she as a Gryffindor didn't belong. She felt at home, like a piece of jewellery that was finally returned to its master. She only wished Snape could be here with her. But maybe he knew about this place? He knew the dungeons better than anybody else, from his prowling of the corridors late at nigh he was familiar with the whole of Hogwarts at least. Maybe he had been here before and maybe she could ask him what this place was about?

"Severus has never been here I am afraid."

Spinning around Hermione found herself faced with- nothing. There was nobody here. Looking around and trying to detect where the voice had come from she walked away from the throne. All in a sudden the danger of the situation made itself aware to her. She was somewhere in the dungeons and nobody knew she was here. The whole room screamed danger and in this moment she wanted to leave.

"Why do you want to leave already, Hermione? We've only just begun our little experiment. We have some more time until you have to return."

The voice sounded husky and old but with some amusement thrown in at good measure. It reminded her a bit of Snape's voice at times. When she looked to the throne again this time she was surprised by the translucent figure of a ghost sitting some feet above the surface and obviously judging from his pleased expression he was enjoying himself.

He was very tall, that she could see from her point of view. And he even looked a bit like Snape. Dark hair that went down to his back, curling wildly, a very pale sallow skin that spoke of many nights and days in the dungeons and his eyes were other than Snape's ones bright blue. They even twinkled a bit like Dumbledore's but his were more laced with irony. He wore a black robe that spoke of wealth and was littered with silver coloured symbols and runes and he wore a bracelet that she couldn't quite see from where she was standing. Could it be a serpent?

He nodded obviously satisfied with her. "Very good Hermione. I see that they are right- you are indeed a brilliant mind. So now tell me: what is the conclusion to that? Who am I?"

Hermione looked at him contemplating. Good, he wanted to challenge her. She loved being challenged, loved quizzes and puzzles and this was an interesting one. She wasn't afraid any longer- a ghost couldn't harm her and somehow she knew that he wasn't here to inflict any kind of pain.

"Hmm." Placing one hand on her chin, something she liked to do when thinking she began to pace the hall which turned out to be smaller in reality than she had anticipated which was quite common in the magical world. Ordering her thoughts she began to state the facts.

"Well, from what I know since were are in the dungeons here, a lot of serpents and green is used in this hall and you remind me a bit of Professor Snape with your pale skin I would have to guess that you have something to do with the house of Slytherin." Seeing his nod of approval she continued "Can I have a look at your bracelet?"

His eyes lit up and clasped in his hands. "Bravo. You are quite brilliant indeed. Once there was this boy who was here shortly but he bored me after a while. He never got that far without me showing him the bracelet to not waste my time with him all night. Had a terrible name, what was it?"

"Tom Riddle?"

He looked up surprised and nodded again. "Yes indeed. I see you know him. Now come and have a look at my bracelet!"

Inching closer Hermione saw the bracelet clearly now. It was indeed a serpent  with emerald eyes and it was biting into its own tail. It was glowing in a green light and tentatively she read what was engraved into the material.

_Founder of Hogwarts, potions Master and Merlin's follower.___

She looked up smiling in wonder. "You are Salazar Slytherin, one of the four founders of Hogwarts aren't you?"

"Right in one guess Hermione. But I have to disappoint you- I am merely a shadow of the great Salazar Slytherin. I am what's left behind, a ghost, a memory that has been preserved here for too long already."

Eagerness showed on her face when she looked at him.

"But you have all his memories right?"

"Yes I do. But before you ask I won't share anything with you right now. I want you to return, need you to return in fact for reasons that I can't enlighten you with at it is. I promise you next time I am going to answer some of your questions Hermione."

She nodded knowing that similar to Snape he wouldn't change his mind. 

"Now leave and go back to your bed. You have school tomorrow and you need your sleep. And I figure Severus might be a tad worried so better go. I see you tomorrow."

And with that she left through the door turning around one last time. He was gone.


	8. 8 Pride and Prejudice

**8. [ Pride and Prejudice ]**

It were the longest two hours that Severus Snape had ever had to endure in his life and he was counting the times when he spend the same amount of hours under cruciatus curse. He was prowling the living room from one end to the other always trying to tell himself that he wasn't to interfere. Albus had told him as much insisting that it was the only way to ensure that maybe, he couldn't even say if at all, they would find a way to find that valuable weapon to defeat Voldemort.

Right now he didn't care very much if Hermione could find Merlin himself, she was his wife damnit and he would not allow for anything to harm her. In Slytherin he had learned a very traditional way of thinking about marriage. It wasn't that women had no rights, no far from it, it was more that Slytherin's men treated their wives like precious jewellery. They were to be taken care of and valued and in this he had always been very Slytherin. He didn't care much that it was no real wedding- she was his wife and that was all that counted in the end. She was now a Snape, a part of a once very respected and wealthy family. Well they were still pretty wealthy but since most Snapes had been involved with Voldemort they were either dead or in Azkaban.

Sighing he stared at a huge wooden clock in the corner and noticed that it was long after midnight. According to Dumbledore she would not be gone longer than two hours and right now she was gone two hours and twelve minutes indeed. Running his hands through his hair that was messed up completely he wondered what was taking her so long. The headmaster had insisted that she was in no danger in the chamber but he hadn't told him what she was doing inside. Typically he preferred to leave him in the darkness instead of telling him what his wife was doing in a rotten chamber, which he had never noticed, in the dungeons after midnight. 

Maybe he was using the term "my wife" a tad often but truth be told he was worried. Something he would never admit in front of anybody else but he somewhere inside didn't want anything to happen to Hermione Granger. No, Hermione Snape he corrected himself feeling a strange kind of pride inside. It angered him that he felt so strongly about it because for years he had perfected to detach himself from everybody and everything. The only thing that was important for him was survival- first to survive his father and the curses and hexes that regularly put him in his place, then survive Hogwarts and Black of all people who so callously repeated to put him where he belonged and then survive the disaster of Voldemort. At the moment he tried in vain to keep his heart under the rock it had crawled under for comfort so many years ago but the girl made it almost impossible to do so. She had something about her that made him want to rather crawl inside her and hide there.

"Romantic nonsense!" His own voice sounded strange in the empty room and he sank down into one of the arm chairs. How he wished for a glass of fire whiskey right now! Just to numb him and to get rid of the emotions, the worries and the thoughts.

The picture of his father appeared in front of his inner eye and it still filled him with despair and fear. Yes the mighty powerful potions Master and brave spy was scared. He could recall easily the way in which his father had pointed his wand at the six year old boy and muttered an angry "Imperio". Strangely these days it wasn't the cruciatus curse that scared him but the imperius curse. His father had made sure that he would always feel like that. Just thinking about the voice of his father made cold sweat break out on his body and his breathing became laboured. Maybe this was what Neville Longbottom felt like when he was sitting in potions classes and he was intimidating him. Couldn't he see that he had to grow a back bone and soon if he wanted to survive the world in general? 

_Yes right, like you grew a back bone with your father?_

Jumping up he went to the cup board and got him a glass. With trembling hands he opened the whiskey bottle stopping only when he saw his face in the small mirror above him. For a moment he was frozen and then he felt the rage cursing through his body like blood. His veins were filled with it, it pounded through his head taking all reason with it. Screaming but really more to suppress the tears he yanked the glass into the mirror glass and it splintered into a thousand pieces.

Why now of all times? Why was he to face this now?

He had buried his past with his father, the moment the tomb had disappeared into the ground he had breathed a sigh of release and turned his back on it all. But as all things he had come to realize that you couldn't burry it- you had to face it in the end. 

"But I can't." It sounded weak, lost and a tremor went through the voice. He hated himself in times like this, he despised what he was.

How could he face the fact that it had been him who had wanted to take his rightful place and his father was always in the way. He had tried to talk with him about it, had pleased, and had crawled in the dirt only to hear him roar with insane laughter. 

Compassion was something that wasn't valued in Slytherin and even less in his family. His father had put him under the cruciatus curse for hours after he has simply asked him if it was alright to like a muggle born witch. It had been his sixth year, at Christmas when he had finally turned into his father, had repeated his behaviour since it had always proved effective. He had recovered enough in the night and it was the first time he had used one of the Unforgivables. The green light had been blinding but freeing and the surge of power that went through him made him smile with pride. His father had done a good job in forming him into a true Snape, a true Slytherin. No compassion, no remorse, no love, his heart had turned into a shield protecting him from any weakness. The boy that had returned to Hogwarts after the break had been irreconcilably changed and he had never understood it until much later that in this moment when the killing curse had left his mouth he had become a Death Eater.

Staring into the now blinded mirror he tried to chase away the memories. Tried to make himself concentrate on the now and here but it was hard. It was hard to face up to your guilt, almost impossible. He had been cruel in the past, a true Slytherin.

"Severus." 

_Shit he hadn't heard the door open. He couldn't face her right now. Not now or ever._

Small steps were heard across the room and then a warm circle of arms embraced him and a small frame pressed against his backside. 

_I don't deserve this. If she knew what I have done she would run away screaming with horror._

"Don't be mad, please. I know I was out after curfew but you won't believe who I found….-"

"I cannot do this right now. I am sorry." He detangled himself from her embrace and with quick steps he disappeared into the sanctuary of his bedroom. 

For a moment Hermione stood in front of the blinded mirror motionless. The pain was felt almost physically radiating off him in waves. But he wanted to be alone. 

_Respect his wish._

It was as simply as that. Who was she to force him into confiding in her. Hermione stood in the slowly darkening room for some more minutes until she went to get some sleep.

» » » » » » » » » » »

The next morning found Hermione strangely reluctant to get up and so she staid in bed for a while trying to collect enough of her courage to face her Gryffindor housemates. Here in the dungeons everything was easy- Snape took her the way she was and mostly he was even civil- at least when he wasn't destroying mirrors, she added mentally. Last night had worried her more than she was ready to admit. It had been instinct to embrace him when he stood in the middle of the broken mirror glass all tensed up and obviously very distressed over something. Maybe it had been a mistake, maybe he had felt threatened by her. Maybe he had even been angry about her being out after curfew.

Sighing she got up knowing that she wouldn't solve any of her problems by staying in bed. Or being late for her first class whatever that was. Since she hadn't been in the great hall last night, she had absolutely no idea how her schedule looked this year. She could of course ask Snape but somehow she doubted he would even want to see her after last night.

When she had taken a shower she brushed her hair and clipped it back into a pony tail. Bracing her shoulders she looked at herself in her Gryffindor robe and tried to look confidant but failed miserably.

_I look like I didn't sleep much. Which was true but she didn't want anybody to know. She wanted to walk through the great hall with pride and she wanted to carry the name Snape with the same pride as her husband. Again it struck her how alien the word husband sounded in combination with the word 'my'. She tried it again. My husband. Not bad, now loud._

"My husband." She grimaced but knew she needed that. She had to get used to saying that. "Severus Snape, my husband."

"Indeed." 

She spun around and saw the dark figure of her husband leaning against the door frame to the living room. His eyes looked almost hazelnut today, with some amusement thrown in and the corners of his eyes crinkled slightly when a tiny smile on his features transformed his face into something she had never seen before. He was relaxed she could see that and the way he leaned against the wood was almost sensual. 

"I was practising." She smiled shortly and then motioned to the living room. "Are you up for long already?"

He pushed himself away from the door and shook his head. "No I only awoke two hours ago. Are you ready to face the pack?"

She nodded mutely and together they left the room through the main door. In the dungeons they were the only people around since the Slytherins mostly used a different stairway to avoid their head of house in the morning. 

Snape pulled something out of his robes and handed her a parchment.

"I forgot to give you this yesterday. It's your timetable. Minerva gave it to me."

"Thanks." She took the parchment and had a quick look at it. She would major in potions and arithmacy this year so she had both classes four times a week as a double. Then she had chosen transfiguration, charms and history of magic as minor subjects so she would have them two times a week as doubles. This left enough time to study and to attend Care of Magical Creatures which she had promised Harry at the end of last year. She would start with charms this morning and later she had potions. 

Casting a short look to her professor she saw that he was climbing the stairs in silence looking ahead. She saw the dark circles under his eyes and he appeared even paler than ever so she knew he had lied to her about his sleep. He was up probably up most of the night and she would take the time later and ask him if he wanted to talk about it. She had to try at least, to make him see that she cared. No matter how angry or livid he would get she cared and she would show it. He probably had too little people really caring about him.

She had reached the entrance hall and met the first students. They looked at her curiously and some Gryffindors even greeted her. Relieved she noticed that people seemed to accept Dumbledore's explanation without any mistrust. She exhaled and even got a tiny smile to appear on her face.

"I told you Albus would handle things." His voice was so soft that only she could hear him but she heard the teasing in it.

She looked up at him and for a moment they shared a comfortable smile until she noticed out of the corner of her eyes that some students were staring. Somehow that made her angry. She would not behave like she disliked Snape, which she didn't.

Leaning up to a surprised head of Slytherin she hugged him shortly and stepped into the great hall.

"Bye. See you later in potions." A brilliant smile later she had disappeared into the crowd and Severus followed Albus beckoning him to the high table. 

» » » » » » » » » »

„Good morning Severus." The headmaster's eyes twinkled as usual as the potions Master sat down at his place trying to appear not like Hermione had just startled the hell out of him. 

He mumbled something unintelligible and stared ahead of himself into his dark coffee. He knew everybody was staring at him, the students and the teachers, because never in all his years here as professor had anybody dared to hug him in front of an audience. It was simply unheard of and he tried to make himself feel angry instead of flattered. But honestly he felt rather like grinning instead of hiding and looking up with a start he tried it.

It worked. Granted it felt unusual, his mouth ached from the effort and he felt almost awkward doing it but it worked and for the first time in over two decades the assembled student body and the teachers saw Severus Snape, Master of Potions, grin with satisfaction. 

"I see Hermione had had some impact on you." Remus Lupin smiled and to his surprise his colleague simply nodded and began to attend to his breakfast. 

_This is going to be an interesting year for sure. Wonder if there is going to be much left of Severus after this year. _

Turning his eyes into Hermione Granger's direction he winked at her and she waved back. Oh yes it would be a good year. Maybe even for Severus.

» » » » » » » » » »

After some curious questions when she had sat down everybody was already attending to more important issues like eating or talking about Lupin's new haircut and once again Hermione was eternally grateful about students' general disinterest in anything not involving themselves. 

Harry and Ginny had accepted her back into the group without asking any questions, even Ron had made an effort and was even able to talk with her shortly about their double classes in charms. All in all it was an uneventful breakfast until Ginny giggled causing a rising of eye brows from Hermione and her two best friends.

"What's wrong Ginny?" Harry's voice sounded curious. He hoped it wasn't anything that had to with the almost-kiss they had unintentionally shared the last morning in the burrow….

"Oh, I am just watching Snape and he is grinning like some Cheshire cat." She had blushed a bit and added a whispered "And I never thought I would say that but he is sort of handsome isn't he?"

"Who? You don't mean Snape?" Ron had turned an interesting shade of purple and he was making jaw movements like a fish out of water.

"Yeah, Ginny's right." Harry observed leaning back after having finished his toast.

"W-what!" Ron looked like he would be physically ill any second.

"Yes, he is grinning. Have a look." Harry turned to his friend and looked at him concerned. "Are you okay?"

Ron nodded vigorously and looked into his bushy haired friend's direction lowering his voice. "I just thought you shared Ginny's opinion that he was all in a sudden… handsome." He finished the sentence with a slight gagging sound accompanying his last word.

"Oh come on Ronald Weasly, don't be a jerk. He is not the old greasy bat you always try to turn him into and when he is smiling it's kind of cute. It's not my problem that you obviously have too little self esteem to see and admit it." Ginny had turned a shade of pink knowing that half the Gryffindor table was listening now but still wanting to make her point. Weaslys in general were stubborn people.

"You are right, Ginny." Angelina Johnson raised her voice a bit and checked one last time at the head table to confirm her opinion. "He looks very different from his usual self and it makes him more likeable. We are still going to beat Slytherin this quidditch season by the way." Leaning back content with her statement some other girls confirmed it.

"Girls." In Ron's voice was a lot of disgust. "Honestly."

Nobody had noticed that Hermione hadn't said a word but Ginny. When the youngest Weasly looked at the silent girl next to her she saw gratitude in her eyes. And was there something like approval?

"You like him too when he is smiling right?" Ginny whispered and leaned to the girl next to her.

"As you said, it transforms him somehow into something … nice." Hermione sounded almost hesitant to admit it.

In this second a bored voice was heard from behind the girls. Draco Malfoy, naturally, wanted to take the opportunity to insult his favourite target.

"Hey Granger, interesting to see that you hug one of your professors." He smirked and looked obviously satisfied with his smart remark.

Hermione got up and looked to the head table. Snape looked angry and Dumbledore nodded at her as if giving permission for something. 

"Oh I can assure that there is nothing wrong in hugging my husband Malfoy." Stunning the whole crowd she made two steps to the door being followed by her friends who had raised as one to give backup.

At the door Hermione turned around one last time grinning devilishly. 

"Oh and Draco-" The whole great hall was silent so her words drifted to the high table undisturbed. "It's Snape from now on."

With that she left and the whole hall erupted into cheers and applause behind her. 


	9. 9 Snivellus

**9. [ Snivellus ]**

Potions classes were delightfully uneventful. Closing his eyes and trying to forget the feeling of Hermione's embrace he leaned back in the comfortable arm chair. He had to admit it was nice actually living in a room that felt comfortable and the warmth from the chimney fire was warming his weary bones. Hermione and he had settled back into their old behaviours almost instantly and she had constantly raised her hand and he had even once taken points from her for preventing Neville's cauldron from going up in flames. The astonishment and shock in her face clearly indicated that she hadn't expected this. But what was unexpected had been the sudden constricting of his heart when she had looked angry for a second.

Sighing he tried to ban the picture of his cursing Gryffindor wife from his mind and smiled slightly when he remembered the way she had tried to shot daggers at him with her eyes the rest of the double classes. He had to tell her that he was indeed the master of intimidation and to try to make him flinch in fear was almost futile.

Also there had been a time when he was more easily scared. 

The grin was wiped off his face all in a sudden and he angrily run his hand through his black hair in a vain attempt to stop the thoughts from even forming but as usual with no attempt. Maybe if Hermione would have been here she would have been able to provide relief from the pictures but in response to his behaviour in potions she was still in the Gryffindor common room.

Staring at the ceiling he tried to empty his mind but still he could hear Sirius' voice like he was there at the bank next to the lake at that fateful afternoon after his Defence against the Dark Arts O.W.L.s. He could feel the warm sun rays on his back sitting on the cosy grass his head as always buried into a parchment this time not noticing anything around him. 

He remembered how he had gotten up and noticing his four enemies next to the water had anticipated an attack. He could recall clearly when James Potter's disarming spell had hit him and his wand had flown several feet away. And then he had heard the thing that usually made his blood rise in his head until today, Black's laughter deafening any other sound around him. The binding spell had hit and he had been trapped on the sticky grass mentally boiling with rage.

He flinched remembering the painful memory of himself loosing most of his dignity that afternoon for good when James made him hang upside down in the air with his robe falling down his body exposing his legs and underpants. It had been humiliating and in this moment he had been ready to use an unforgivable on Black or Potter. But it was Lilly Evans who had saved him and he had detested her for it. He had been too weak again and the muggle born witch had to literally get Potter to do the counter curse.

His own voice had spoken of these feeling when he had called her a filthy mudblood, something he had never done before and never done after this ever again. In this moment all his helplessness had surfaced and years of being hexed by his father had culminated in this angry mutter. Strangely enough the events after that never felt as painful as the moment Lily's eyes had turned cold. And Potter had removed his pants and had no doubt amused the school crowd that gathered around them immensely. When he had been finished with him they had left his humiliated form on the grass still sputtering soap bubbles till late in the evening. Well he had to be grateful for one thing so, this afternoon in the all in a sudden chilly evening air with the lake in sight he had gotten the courage together to plan his father's killing.

Trying to squelch the sound of Black's malicious laughter and James Potter's taunting he got up and leaned against the window frame. Closing his eyes he used the technique he had learned in his occlumency lessons and cleared his mind. Exhaling noisily he watched the faked garden outside with the fake trees swaying in the fake later summer breeze. Everything in his life was fake really, including himself. The person he had created after that killing curse had left his mouth was a pitiful creature only existing on hate, cruelty and envy. Negative emotions had shaped his life and the path he had chosen so many years ago had proven fatally wrong. Nothing ever made sense again after that evening on the edge of the lake. 

Lilly had never spoken to him again after that and the feeling of loss he had endured for a while had been almost overwhelming in its intensity. He had never had any friends, certainly not in Slytherin where the others only accepted him in their group because he was from a pureblood rich family and knew how to cast the most curses. The whole school had disliked him because he had hung around with Lucius and his pack and no girl ever looked his way with his long greasy hair and hooked nose. Lilly Evans had been the first to look behind his outward appearance and for a moment he had believed in the dream that love would save him. How fatally wrong he had been.

The sound of the opening door raised him from his thoughts and reluctantly he turned around to see his wife stepping into the room. Her smile looked uncertain, she clearly wasn't sure where they stood after the incident in potions class. For a moment he wanted to make her suffer for he best friend's father and all that he had done to his life.

_Don't shut away the first person that actually took an interest in you after all these years just because she is in the same house and knows Potter's son._

Forcing his face into a schooled neutral expression he motioned for her to sit down next to the chimney.

Watching her small frame he noticed that she seemed upset about something.

"Did you have a nice evening?" He staid at the window deliberately not facing her afraid he wouldn't be able to ban the feeling of hatred from his features and she would think it was directed at her. He wasn't ready to tell her about his school days maybe he would never be.

She began to nod but then shook her head so vehemently that the dark curls flew in every direction. The light cast beautiful reflexes into the shimmering brown and he itched to run his fingers through it. Instead he stepped to the fireplace and added some more wood.

"Do you want to talk about it?" His voice was impassive and tried to neither imply that she should nor that she had to. It was a possibility that was all.

After a while she mumbled a name that sounded distinctively like Ron. The usual sneer appeared on his face and he turned around.

"What did young Mr Weasly do?"

"He doesn't want to accept the way things have turned out to be and he says nasty things."

"About who?"

She looked up stormy eyes hazel eyes meeting his, filled with pain.

"About you." 

Snape laughed bitterly. "What's new about that?"

The pain seemed to intensify and she averted her eyes quickly. "Nothing. Only now it seems every time he says something I feel like it's entirely my fault."

Stunned he watched her raise her face again and tears had appeared in the corners of her eyes.

"Because there was a time when I just accepted the fact that my friends had a certain opinion of you and instead of being courageous and telling them to stop I went along. I was a damn coward and now they are questioning why I am interfering."

Slowly he approached her and kneeled down in front of her gripping her trembling hands in his own.

"Hermione, look at me please." As she did he inhaled as he saw the raw pain in them. "It's okay, whatever you once did or thought. I can forgive it all and you want to know why?" A hesitant nod later he continued ruefully. "Because even if we added all your sins up you never would win against me the greatest sinner of all. My love, please don't cry."

She sobbed and threw herself into his arms almost knocking him over with her momentum. He closed his arms around her trembling body cradling her to his larger frame. He sank to the floor and gently caressed her back all the while wondering if he was doing the right thing. It felt so alien to his character to console somebody over something. The endearment had slipped without him realizing at the time and he didn't have it in him to regret it. He felt more for her than he had ever felt for another living creature and he wouldn't let her slip away from him now. 

Placing soft kisses on her velvety hair he inhaled the faint scent of vanilla emanating from it. Feeling like for the first time ever he could forget the mortifying moments under the tree at the lake. 

» » » » » » » » » 

Some time later when the safe feeling of protection and forgiveness had warmed her whole being Hermione was ready to turn her face so that she was looking in two deep opal depth. He appeared centred and serious but behind the attempt of showing her exactly the emotion he wanted her to see she could see a strain that had been there since last night. A pang in her heart reminded her that he had been clearly in so much pain and distress last night and again he was the one to comfort her over trivial issues like Ron's bitter remarks. 

She moved slightly so that she fitted more comfortably into his arms and leaned with her side against his chest. His scent was almost intoxicating and she wondered shortly whether that was normal or something like a fetish already. Whenever she got close to him she had to inhale and revel in the mystery that was his scent. Smiling she nuzzled his robes again and tried to form a sentence that would get him to tell her what was wrong with him without appearing like she was noisy.

"Can I ask you a question?"

She felt his muscles flex and unflex as he moved to hold her more gently and then he softly chuckled.

"Of course."

"Last night when you crashed that mirror I couldn't fail to see that you looked very upset about something." She raised her eyes and bored them into his. "Was it about me? Because I was out after curfew?"

He sighed and shook his head shortly never loosing contact to her eyes. In this moment he felt like they were the only things capable on centring him in this world. What to tell her without having to admit he was a murderer, that he once had muttered the killing curse against his own family? 

"It wasn't about you Hermione. I already knew you would be out, Albus told me after you left." Stalling her questions for now he continued hesitantly. "It was just memories my dear. My life has not been a constant joy and some of these things haunt me till today."

"But you can't tell me right now?" 

"No, these things have been buried so long inside me Hermione that I need some more time to get comfortable with the thought of sharing them with anybody. Is that okay?" 

She nodded quickly and then gently touched his cheek with her small hand. To his utter surprise he moved into the touch like a wounded animal that never has experienced tenderness in his life so far. How he had longed for a gentle touch, somebody who would make him believe that he was worth more than being put under curses, to be more than a boy who cowered under a stairway trembling with fear waiting for his father to be finished with beating mother black and blue and continuing with him, the pale, ugly bastard. More than the wizard who had muttered the curse on that fateful night bathing his parents' bedroom in green light.

Seeing the pain in his eyes Hermione had to bite back tears of her own and swore she would find out who had hurt him so much. But right now something else was on her mind. Remembering what he had told her about Professor Dumbledore knowing about her being out after curfew.

"Professor Dumbledore knew I was out?"

Warning lights went on in his head, he couldn't' tell her about the prophecy just yet. Albus had made this absolutely clear in London. He was to guide her and assist her as much as he could but in no way was he to mention the prophecy. Sighing, he gently moved so that she sank back against his body again.

"Yes but I don't know how he knew it Hermione." _May the gods forgive for this lie and hopefully I don't regret it later._ "He told me to wait for you and as usual I didn't rise to the occasion. Instead I sank into self-pity when you probably needed me most. I can only tell you again how sorry I am to be as weak as I am."

She hushed him with trembling fingers. "You are never weak Severus. You are always the steady rock on which I can right my world when it has gotten askew somehow. I said it before: I don't care who told you all this rubbish but I don't share your low opinion of yourself. I would have gotten crazy without you in all this mess and you are nothing but the strongest man I ever had the pleasure to know."

Smiling ruefully and admitting to himself that she very likely would disagree if she knew half of what he had done he cupped her chin. Not with force but gently.

"So will you tell me what you saw?"

Her face lit up and she turned between his legs on the red carpet so that she was kneeling in front of him. 

"Oh, I totally forgot to tell you and you probably won't believe me but I met a ghost in a chamber." She gripped his hands and gently caressed them without realizing what she did. She had been burning to tell somebody about her meeting with one of the founders but something inside had told her not to tell her friends. It was odd how little she questioned her instincts lately. "It was a large empty room with a huge stone throne and there were columns with very ancient runes. I have never seen most of them. And then the ghost appeared and he was actually very nice and made me guess who he was. A riddle and like the potions riddle I solved it at last."

"The potions riddle? What potions riddle?" His forehead crinkled.

"Oh, the riddle with which you guarded the Philosophers Stone in my first year. You know about the seven potions and to decide which one was the one to get you through the flames."

He gazed at her in astonishment. "And you solved it?"

"Yes. It took a couple minutes but in the end it was pure logic. Did you come up with it all on your own?"

He sounded a tad cranky. "Yes and it took me several hours to create the riddle."

Smiling brightly she didn't bother to acknowledge his crankiness. "And I was wondering which wizard had bothered to use logic to hide the Stone but of course it would have been you. You are one of the most extraordinary wizards I have ever met."

Feeling a blush somewhere on his face he tried to change the subject. Nobody had made him blush in years.

"Yes well I like logic once in a while. But what about the ghost. Who was it?"

"Salazar Slytherin."

"What?" Severus stared at her in amazement. "One of the founders?"

"Yes even so he said he was just a memory. He promised to answer me some questions tonight."

Having a quick look at the clock he saw it was almost midnight. "Maybe you should go now then. Last night you stepped into the chamber around midnight as well."

"How do you know?"

"I had a dream. I awoke with a feeling that something had happened." He pushed her away from him but she clung to him.

"I won't go there alone."

"Hermione you have to." He sounded desperate.

"There is something you are not telling me, right?" Suspicion crept into her voice.

"Hermione, please just go into that chamber for once without asking any questions. Maybe I can tell you more tomorrow but right now it is of importance that you go there immediately."

Getting up reluctantly she looked him in the eyes trying to make him see that she was serious.

"Okay, but I want an explanation tomorrow Severus. I ask him if you can come along. If he agrees you come with me tomorrow. This is about your house more than mine so you can talk to him as well."

Nodding in relief he gently led her to the door carefully placing a hand on her shoulder.

"I wait for your return and if something happens I am sure the necklace will make sure that I know."

She turned around one last time and then pulled his head down. Carefully and tenderly she brushed her lips against his cheek. Then she turned around and disappeared in the dark corridor.


	10. 10 Father and Son

**10. [ Father and Son ]**

**Warning: This chapter contains very vivid description of child abuse and some implied sexual abuse. Please don't read this if you can't deal with things like this. Mail me and I will send you an edited version of this chapter. Be careful, this is harsh stuff.**

The moment she left the room his heart was gripped by a fear that made him stumble back in confusion. Calling himself all kinds of fools he tried to stop the trembling of his hands and straightened his shoulders in a vain attempt to stifle the terror that crept inside his veins when he looked at the fire place. A tall dark figure sat in the arm chair Hermione had vacated his opal eyes that were cast in his direction filled with venom and hatred. 

"Hello son."

» » » » » » » » » »

Hermione found the room with the crest very easily and stepped inside after some hesitation. Salazar Slytherin was already sitting on his throne and grinned as she stepped into the room. Beckoning her to the throne he nodded in satisfaction as if confirming something to himself. Tonight for some reason his smile seemed a bit menacing as if she was prey he had been waiting for.

In the background she could see a large mirror that reminded her of the Mirror of Erised Harry had found in his second year. It was made from wood as well and several engravings showed runes so old that Hermione had honestly no idea what they meant. The ghost seemed a bit more real today, not quite as translucent as the last time which made her wonder if maybe he was feeding of her emotions the same way Tom Riddle once fed of Ginny's darkest secrets and fear. 

He nodded again. "Very good Hermione. As I already said yesterday, you are a brilliant mind and so far no disappointment."

"You can read minds." It was a statement not a question. Somehow it made the whole situation even more surreal to know that she couldn't hide anything from him.

"I am an extremely good legilimens but you are wrong, it doesn't mean I can read your mind." He played with his wand and produced some green bubbles which disappeared a second after they left the wand tip. "Legilimency means I can enter your mind and if I interpret your thoughts, memories and emotions correctly I can guess what you are thinking. But I wonder how you never knew about that since you are married to one of the best legilimens at the moment."

Hermione faced his look full of taunting and the necklace began to glow against her neck.

"I might ask Severus about this topic as soon as I return. It was never of importance so far. Maybe he can even teach me some occlumency."

His eyes flashed shortly but then he waved it away. "Do as you like but right now I can take nice little walks in your mind Hermione. Let's see if Severus does a better job at teaching you than young Potter last year. He wasn't very successful back then but then maybe if Potter hadn't looked inside his pensieve things would have turned out in quite a different way."

As he saw Hermione's confused look a happy gleam spread across his face. "I thought Harry Potter had told you about what he saw there but alas I might correct that little mistake."

He stopped the bubbles and directed the wand at the mirror muttering some soft words in a language Hermione had never heard. In the mirror shortly a bright light flickered and then it cleared showing a frozen picture of Severus Snape shock written all over his face.

"Now Hermione, how much do you know about your husband? Tell me."

"What happened to him?" Her voice shook with concern.

"Later Hermione, first tell me what you know about him besides the obvious you should know as his student."

She hesitated not willing to tell him that in reality she knew next to nothing about Severus and his past.

"He was a Death Eater once." For some reason she found it hard to tell him about anything else. She noticed that something entered her mind shortly but it was not threatening but reassuring. She felt it staying in one part and covering some information. A second later the memory of Snape working as a spy for the Order was blocked.

Slytherin's eyes flashed dangerously. "I should have known that Dumbledore would ruin my fun. He is always such a spoil sport. But nevertheless we can work with what we have here." Turning to her again he pointed at the mirror averting her attention to Snape's frozen face. 

"Severus just saw an apparition he rather wanted to forget but as with everything memories haunt you. You wonder what he was thinking about when you returned to your chambers last night, am I right?" He grinned shortly. "Honesty is a value I never quite treasured but in this case it's essential for our further work. So now Hermione I will let you watch the events in your living chamber and you will know why exactly for so long nobody wanted to even touch Severus. He has sinned and fatally so."

With another wave of his wand she saw the mirror was beginning to move and it showed a man sitting at the chimney now who remarkably resembled Severus himself. He grinned in an evil way and his hand looked large in comparison to his body. He bared his yellow teeth in an ugly smirk.

"Hello son."

» » » » » » » » » »

„Hello son."

All colour disappeared from his face and he forcefully raised his wand trembling terribly.

"What's wrong son, you want to try another killing curse? Go on you always liked killing and torturing people didn't you?"

"Go away." His whisper sounded frantic and his eyes looked glazed over. His whole stance emanated fear and tension.

"Not right now, bastard. Where would be the fun in that? Why do you want to fuck your little Gryffindor mudblood instead?" He barked with laughter.

"Avada kadavra." The green light blinded the whole room but it went through the figure of his father without harming him.

"I am already dead you stupid disgrace of Slytherin. Thanks to my own son I am rotting in a grave now for years. So take your wand away and don't do anything that could hurt yourself."

With shaking hands Severus let his wand fall to the floor and sank down.

"Merlin, please spare me this." His face looked like a dead person's by now and his lips had turned a dark shade of purple. A visible vein on his left temple pulsed intensely and his quivering hands had sunken to his side.

"Listen to him. You have always been a disgrace to our whole clan Severus. Always cowering under tables and stairways and never once have you got the guts together to stand up for yourself. No it was always "Please father don't hurt me?". Whining and pleading never ordering like a Snape should do. I tried for years to beat some stamina into you but look where that got you! An insignificant teacher in a school full of mudbloods and traitors to our Lord. And you are the worst of them all carrying your mark with shame instead of pride. But you were always like that, never man enough to do anything heroic. Always little Snivellus with his greasy hair and head buried into a stupid book." He got up and stepped to the potions Master who had his head bowed down in defeat. "You were never good for anything but being beaten up by my belt and by magic. You were such a delight under the cruciatus curse my boy and to see you twist in pain was clearly a sight to see. Do you remember the one time when I let it burst your skin with an acid and you were bleeding on the whole carpet?" He carelessly kicked him in the side making him crouch down with pain. "But we know there really was one thing you were good at, don't we Severus?"

"No, no.please not that." His face was covered with his hands and he tried to inch away from the menacing form of his father. Pictures infiltrated his mind and somewhere in the lower part of his abdomen he felt a stinging pain. A sob broke free from his throat.

"Oh yes you remember don't you. Wasn't the feeling delicious, didn't you feel all precious and special serving a purpose for something. At least I had found something you were good enough for. And I enjoyed it my son, every second of it. You were tight and nobody trembled like you while trying to appear brave."

"Noooo!" The scream broke free like from a tortured soul and he raised his eyes filled with tears. "Leave me alone. You have done enough to ruin my life."

"Oh yes your precious life. Tell me could you protect sweet Lilly or is she now gone, another one of your failures? Maybe you should have done the mudblood while she had been there all willing. But no you were all gentleman-like. 'Father can I be friends with a muggle born witch, she is really smart?' Oh you were always so dense, always so ready to step over everything I had taught you. I think you deserved to pleasure me a bit after that dim comment."

He bent down and almost bruisingly gripped his sons shoulder making him flinch in fear. "But maybe now you have learned your lesson Severus. But no there is another mudblood and you – give - her – our - necklace!" He punctuated each word with a pocking of his finger. "A family inheritance and you give it to a filthy mudblood after generations of pureblood Snape women had carried it with pride. But you were always a little rebel weren't you my dear son." His voice spat venom now and he in a mocking caress touched his son's cheek making him whimper in terror. "And now you are cowering again my brave hero in terror of your own history. Maybe I should try the old way of disciplining you. How would you like that uh? Have you missed me Severus?"

» » » » » » » » » »

"Noooo?" Hermione got out of her spell and turned to the throne but Slytherin was gone leaving her alone with her terror. Tears were streaming down her face and she felt numb deep inside. A tremor went through her as she could almost feel Severus horror while his father stroked his back.

Spinning around she stormed out of the door and ran down the corridor only the thought of saving him in her mind. 

_Oh god, oh god. He has… no… and he had to…_

Not thinking the thought to the end she had reached the door to the living chambers and burst in. In front of her was a dark heap on the floor trembling and quivering all the time muttering quiet words. Sobs were shaking his body and he had curled up into a slight ball of pain. 

The room was empty otherwise and quickly Hermione kneeled down next to Severus softly extending her hand. 

"I am dirt, only dirt. Father is punishing me to make me clean. I have to come clean." His voice sounded trapped in his memories.

Gently touching his back she murmured his name softly. "Severus."

He flinched and curled up tighter. Quietly she moved an inch closer and tried to hold the tears in. Later, she would break down later when she had consoled him.

"It's me Hermione, Severus. Please, let me help you."

"Hermione. Hermione is a mudblood and I don't deserve her. She is brilliant and good whereas I am only dirty and evil."

"No Severus. You deserve me as I deserve you. Severus look at me please." Pleadingly she tried to force him out off his memories.

Slowly he raised his eyes and the dark opal pools were now filled with pain and terror. In this moment he was again a little boy terrified by his father.

"I love you Severus. You are a good man and I love you so much." Carefully as not to startle him she gently placed one hand on his shoulder and inched closer. He looked at her apprehensively as if he wanted her to save him but had no idea how.

"Lilly was my fault?" It sounded small and scared.

"No." Hermione closed her arms around his neck. "It was Voldemort not you Severus. You are not to blame for this you hear me?"

Slowly she saw the terror in his face being replaced with shock and realization. "Hermione?"

Before he could run away she embraced him with her arms. "Don't run away again please. I love you so much, don't leave me alone Severus." 

"Oh god Hermione, have you heard… my father, have you seen….?" He sounded terrified of the idea. 

"Yes."

He struggled to free himself but she clang to him. "No, don't leave me. Don't hide inside Severus. Don't you see that this venom is eating you up from inside. You have to let somebody in or it kills you."

"Maybe that's better." He whispered softly trembling with shock.

"No. Severus I couldn't survive this. I need you so much and you deserve to live like anybody else does." She forced his eyes to meet hers and the troubled pools seemed in so much pain. "Your father was wrong and if all of your family was like him you are the first one who is no disgrace. He is an evil man and what he did to you was the worst sin you can commit. He deserved the curse Severus. You did the right thing even so maybe nobody else will agree. You did the right thing."

He looked at her for a moment and then tears began to stream down his face. "You only know half the story Hermione, you would talk in a different way if you knew what else I have done."

"Maybe I won't understand everything and maybe I will disagree on occasion but one thing is not going to change. I love you and nothing you could do or say could change that."

For a second he looked like he wanted to contradict her but then he pressed her body to his almost brutally. She cradled his head gently against her neck and felt the tears on her skin there.

"I love you Severus. I love you."

» » » » » » » » » » 

As Minerva turned around from the small mirror on the table her face was tear stained. 

"I had no idea, Albus. Oh my god what has this bastard done to Severus?"

The headmaster's face had turned to stone by now and he trembled slightly. How he hated his position at times. Nobody deserved to go through this twice, especially not Severus.

Minerva raised her shoulders and quickly dried her tears. "We have to help Hermione, she can't deal with this all by herself. Albus I know it is ministry policy to not interfere but this is too cruel. The girl is only fifteen for Merlin's sake."

"I know my dear but it had to get out. It was breaking Severus and now hopefully some wounds will heal. There is no harm done so far and I will send Poppy down there in a second. Severus needs some dreamless sleep potion to rest a bit. I am going to talk with Hermione tomorrow and explain some things to her."

He sank down behind his desk and tried to ignore the quiet sniffles coming from the paintings in his room.


	11. 11 The Return of the Dark Lord

Thanks to all the reviews for the last chapter. I am aware that I am covering dangerous territory here as there may be people out there who suffered from abuse. I can't know what people think when things as horrible as abuse happen to them but I try to be careful. Don't be offended please. The rape is not a plot device here but a mean to explain Severus' behaviour. There was one review from I think Viola and she mentioned something about a way to improve my writing. There was no email address given in her profile. So please if you could mail me sometime and tell me how I can improve. That would be awfully nice. That goes for everybody. I encourage you to flame me. 

**11. [ The Return of the Dark Lord ]**

Patience had never been one of the virtues Lucius Malfoy treasured and as he waited for the arrival of the messenger in a worn-down hotel in East London he felt close to a breaking-point. Nothing so far was going the way he had planned it, the attempted kidnapping of this stupid mudblood had been prevented by somebody he thought was loyal to the course of the Dark Lord and he had to hide again.

Aurors were looking all over the island for him and his wife Narcissa refused to talk with him in fear that she or Draco would be imprisoned in Azkaban. He had absolutely no access to any of his money and right now it would be a relief to torture some muggles. But a day ago he had received an owl by an old friend who had informed him that the Dark Lord had risen again and he was to wait in this filthy little excuse for a hotel. Of course he wasn't foolish enough to disobey and therefore he had been here most of this and the last. 

Slowly he was loosing the last shred of patience he still possessed but something made him stay. He knew what the Dark Lord did to disloyal Death Eaters and fear made him stay when in reality he wanted to run. He had not been delighted by Lucius' attempt of revenge and he knew he would suffer for it.

» » » » » » » » » »

It was already late morning when Hermione woke from a deep dreamless sleep and for a moment neither the environment nor the conditions were right. She was lying in a cold room with stone walls and the bed was hard and uncomfortable. In her back something warm and large alerted her senses and when she turned around she saw the peaceful figure of Severus Snape next to her with his soft hair now covering his face as he snored softly.

Painfully the memories came rushing back and inhaling deeply she cupped his cheek softly as not to startle him. He moved into the caress slightly without waking up and she hoped whatever Poppy gave him would give him some more sleep before he had to face her. Turning around she glanced around the room and recognized it immediately- it was the coldest place she had ever seen, Snape's sleeping chamber, and shortly she pondered if she should make some tiny alterations.

Maybe something nice he would see when he woke up later, something that would show him that she suffered with him but didn't pity him. That sounded like a good idea and with a short wave of her wand she concentrated and turned her clip into a small daisy which she placed on the pillow she had vacated in the bed.

She had to talk to Dumbledore, for long enough had he played with her and she wanted an explanation. She wouldn't bother Severus with this when the headmaster could give her the same information, not after last night. Trying to chase away the pictures she dressed herself quickly and left the chamber to make her way to the headmaster's office. 

» » » » » » » » » 

"She sure is behaving extremely unusual don't you think?" Ronald Weasly tried to catch his friend's eyes but for some reason he was focused completely on the high table and had failed to answer him this question for three times already.

"Professor Snape is missing as well and I haven't heard from Hermione since yesterday. I am worried Ron." The dark haired boy turned his green concerned eyes to his friend and noticed the sulking expression there. "What?"

"Nothing. As usual you are not listening to a word I say, Harry or you would know that I had mentioned the fact that I am worried about her too."

"What do you think is keeping them? I hope they are not hurt but I think Professor Dumbledore would have told us that already." Harry rubbed his scar and cursed silently. "On top of it all my scar hurts all day already."

"Speaking of the headmaster, don't you think he looks awfully tired this morning?" Ron motioned in the direction of his place at the high table.

"Yes, and if I didn't know better I would say that Professor McGonagall looks almost as if she had cried."

Not knowing what to say in reply to that the younger Weasly son stared into his tea cup.

» » » » » » » » » 

"Lucius? Tell me what am I supposed to do with you?" The shrill voice made him want to die as the white scalp-like face of his Lord appeared above him after he had gone down with the first cruciatus curse. Still panting Malfoy tried to anticipate his master's next move but right now he was more occupied with trying to get enough air into his lungs to not suffocate.

The curse had hit him without any warning and as usual the Dark Lord never showed any mercy to his Death Eaters. If you did well there was praise in abundance, but if you failed he rarely showed any reason. And he had failed this time- his Lord wasn't happy. 

"Instead of waiting for me as I had instructed you rush off to get some cheap revenge. Now tell me Lucius, what do I usually do with people who fail to comply with my wishes?"

He inhaled sharply.

The Dark Lord laughed manically obviously enjoying the torment his captive was in. From the corner of his eye Lucius saw a tall dark figure step next to Voldemort and mentally groaned in agony. Bellatrix Lestrange looked down at him in clear disgust but there was something else in her eyes, she was waging chances against each other. 

"Maybe I should just kill him, what do you think Bellatrix, my only loyal follower? Or maybe I could leave it to your capable hands to finish this piece of shit off for me?" He placed his wand at Lucius throat and applied some pressure which made him choke again.

Pointing her heavy lidded eyes at her brother-in-law Bellatrix frowned shortly. Then she turned to her Lord obviously having reached a decision.

"If I may be allowed to talk master, I could provide some input that prove helpful in dealing with this traitor?"

Voldemort nodded and bent up again but not removing the full body bind on Lucius. 

"I can't fail to notice that somebody is missing here in your trustful circle my Lord?" She sounded as if she was weighing her words. She wasn't stupid enough to address the issue openly, she had no idea what her master thought of this.

"Severus, I know. I haven't summoned him tonight simply because he contacted me a couple of days ago to inform me that thanks to Lucius' stupidity he is watched more closely now in Hogwarts."

Bellatrix nodded as if completely agreeing to him and then bowed her head as if she gave Voldemort permission to slaughter her if he wanted to. She simply had to know.

"Is it allowed to question Severus my Lord?" Her voice sounded low and calm.

"No it isn't my dear Bellatrix. I admit I had my doubts about my trusted potions Master for a while but he has proven his loyalty in more ways than anybody expect you and the two of you are the only ones I trust enough in this circle to turn my back on you. Why are you asking?"

"Because through some contacts I have received information that surprised me my master."

He waved with his hand. "Continue."

"I heard that Severus is now married to the same mudblood Lucius tried to kidnap and I heard that she was lodging in the dungeons with him now. You might remember her my Lord, she is one of Harry Potter's best friends. Her name is Hermione Granger."

For a while Voldemort kept silent obviously contemplating that information. Then with a wave he undid the body bind. "I think I need to talk with my old friend to see what he has to say for himself. Lucius' fate will be decided after I have attended to this immediate problem."

Slowly exhaling Malfoy felt the relief pumping through his body. At last he wouldn't die tonight.

Turning again to his fallen Death Eater Voldemort grinned evilly. "I trust you to attend to his whereabouts Bellatrix my dear. Have fun, all the fun you want to."

With that he disappeared and Lucius saw with horror the sadistic smile that appeared on the pale face of his savour. This was even worse than the killing curse.

» » » » » » » » » » 

It was shortly after the lunch in the great hall had ended when the sleep potion's effect ended and Severus opened his eyes. For a moment he felt a bit dizzy as was usual when he had taken sleep potion and he shortly wondered why he had done something he never did under normal circumstances. Then the memory returned, not mercifully in tiny parts but it hit him like a ton of bricks making him gasp in pain.

Now in the bright daylight he realized that somebody had played a horrible trick on him last night. His father was dead and he had never in all these years returned as a ghost. Somebody obviously knew about what he had done to his son and had decided that it was an enjoyable activity to torture him for a while. Or maybe somebody had simply thought it would be fun to make his life more horrible than it already was.

Remembering Hermione and how she stormed in he realized that obviously she had seen what had happened in his living room and knew about the sexual abuse and the curses. Gulping he buried his head in the pillow and groaned. Perfect. Just what he needed on top of it all. Somewhere in his guts he knew that she would be disgusted with him like everybody else was and all hope to ever be more than Snivellus to anybody had vanished. 

He didn't want to think about any of this and hurriedly he got up not noticing the flower on the pillow and disappeared into the bathroom. He wanted a hot shower now and then he had to start to face his life as he always did. As the evil sneering witty bastard which had proved effective in dealing with the pain. There was nothing more for him here anyhow.

» » » » » » » » » » »

"Hermione, I understand that you are upset about last night but unfortunately I can't tell you much and I am almost sure you know more about the current circumstances than I do." Albus Dumbledore bored his blue serious eyes into her hazelnut ones trying to make her understand. So far without any success.

"But Sev- Professor Snape told me you knew about my visits to this hidden chamber. How can you know about that and not know anything else?" She was slowly getting angry; very much so and red patches appeared on her otherwise pale skin.

She looks like Severus would look like in a situation of distress.

Minerva tried to shake off the feeling of doom in her every cell, somehow she knew that this journey was far from over for Hermione and Severus. How could they really send her out all unprepared and expect her to understand that. Sighing the head of Gryffindor rose from her chair.

"Albus, tell her about the prophecy. Severus knows and she has the right to know as much as he does." For a moment their eyes met and he nodded the twinkle reappearing.

"If you say my dear." He looked in the shocked face of one Hermione Granger and nodded again. "Yes Hermione, some thousand years ago a prophecy was made about you and Severus. Of course you weren't named but after I had gotten to know Severus I knew he was the one the text was referring to. I almost forgot about the prophecy until you began to attend Hogwarts and I was sharply reminded of the prediction. I won't tell you the content of this prophecy however I know that you and Severus will be much more involved in bringing Voldemort down than you can imagine right now. It even mentions the necklace and you forced wedding."

For a moment Hermione was stunned and then she sprang up from her chair her curls flying. 

"I don't want to be part of a prophecy! Nobody asked me ever if I wanted to be married, if I wanted to meet this creepy ghost in the dungeons and if I wanted to feel the pain Severus goes through." Her voice sounded shrill but somehow she couldn't care. Her breaking-point had been reached without her noticing and now she just wanted to spit the venom out. "You tell me always there is good in the world but how can there be? Severus' father did horrible things to his son and he enjoyed them, was utterly pleased by the horror his son was in. He was almost worse than Voldemort and now I am here wanting some guidance and some explanations and all I get are more riddles. I am tired of guessing, tired of fighting. I am tired of it all." With that she left the office banging the door behind her.

"Well, surely that went well." Albus Dumbledore was sarcastic on very rare occasions and so Minerva sputtered her tea.


	12. 12 Mudblood

_I received more of those wonderful reviews and I am grateful for the detailed way some of you commented on the story. There are two aspects I have to deal with the next chapters: the necklace and some more Snape family history and Lucius Malfoy. You are going to meet another member of the Snapes and see some more Hermione/Snape interaction. Plus a bit more of Harry and Ron visiting their friend Hermione in the dungeons._

**12. [ Mudblood ]**

When Severus Snape looked into the mirror after he rinsed off the shaving gel he tried in vain to understand what the hell Hermione saw that made her stay here in the dungeons. He remembered quite clearly how she had comforted him last night, the tender endearments she had murmured and the way she had clung to him not letting him slip away into despair. And once when he had looked into her eyes they had been filled with the most amazing mix of love, pain and understanding.

His hair was now even oilier, it always was after washing it, and it was still wet in parts. His cheeks were hollow and ashen with even darker circles under his puffy eyes and his hooked nose appeared even more prominent causing him almost to look like a monster from a tale to scare children.

In more ways than one he really was a monster, a scary figure that nobody liked, that nobody wanted to touch. Neither his mother nor his father had ever loved him, his mother too scared to protect him and his father who rivalled Bellatrix at times with his sadistic tendencies had simply enjoyed breaking him. It had never been about doing something for him no matter how often he had claimed to just educate him but always about doing something to him. His father had been a cruel man, one of the cruellest he knew maybe only rivalled by Voldemort. Maybe, and he knew for sure that the dark Lord never touched children in a sexual way.

So what did that say about him? He was his mother's and father's son and had inherited some of their genes- again he wondered what made Hermione stay. If it was possible for him to run from his own life, to get away from the person he was, he had long since done it. He despised himself for what he had allowed to happen, for what he had done in return and what he had become- a nice little copy of his father. 

Turning his face he stepped into the room and went to his wardrobe. He didn't look at the bed so he didn't see his wife sitting there with the daisy in her hand watching him. 

Her eyes were clouded with pain and she studied his lean body for a moment. He was only dressed in black pants and as he bent down to get some socks she noticed how thin even skinny he was. The muscles were seen through the skin and his spine sticked out in many places. His whole figure was lean, with bones sticking out at his shoulders and some clearly visible scars on his back. 

He was surely no beauty nor was he handsome in the usual sense but something about him was so intriguing that she felt drawn to him in so many ways. Shortly she wondered if maybe she wanted to protect him, wanted to give him back what his father had taken from him in his childhood but there was more. Even before she had known about the abuse and even before she had received the necklace there had been something about him that spoke to her. It wasn't looks and she was pretty sure she was no beauty either but it went deeper than that. They were both outcasts somehow, he as a former Death Eater and suspect, she as the muggle born witch. It pained to admit it but racism was far more present in the wizarding world than she liked to think about. But for some reason her husband had never in all her six years at Hogwarts called her a 'mudblood'.

His father had done so yesterday and she wondered if maybe many more people were thinking it instead of saying it. There were some people she knew for sure didn't feel that way. Dumbledore, McGonagall, Harry, Ron, all Weaslys really, Lupin, Flitwick but for the others she couldn't say for sure. And it bothered her. More than she wanted to admit. Maybe some of her urgent need to prove herself was because she wanted to provide evidence that she was a capable witch even so her parents were both muggles. And maybe somewhere along the way Severus had given up to prove that he was not evil and cruel.

"Are you done with staring at me?" His voice sounded carefully neutral and his shoulders were slightly tensed up.

Lying down on the bed she crossed her arms behind her head. "I wasn't staring. I was thinking."

Reaching for a black shirt he slowly buttoned it. "May I ask what about?"

"You may. You are my husband so you are allowed to ask me all kinds of things." She grinned without humour when she saw how he flinched when she said the word 'husband'. "I was thinking why I like you so much."

Turning towards the bed one eye brow rose. He sat down next to her on the bed gently placing her feet in his lap.

"And what did you come up with? My favourable looks or my pleasant character?" The irony tripped again from his voice but he took the sting with gently kneading her ankles.

She smiled shortly and then closed her eyes. "We both know that you are neither Lockhart nor Lupin my dear." It was the first endearment she ever used to him and it felt strangely natural. Opening her eyes she saw his stunned expression. "And I wouldn't take any of those if my live depended on it. Maybe it's because we are so similar. Both no beauties, both with difficult characters and both having trouble finding our place in the wizarding world."

He bowed down his head looking at her feet and gently began to rub them.

"You are comparing yourself to me Hermione? That's hardly fair. I am really unpleasant both in appearance and character while you are in simply different than the other students."

"Oh yes Severus? I am bossy, I know that, and I have a temper even worse than you plus I just argued with Professor Dumbledore and Professor McGonagall in the headmaster's office and left having thrown a tantrum. I am neglecting my friends in favour of studying without having a bad conscience and I know I am in no way the regular beauty."

"You argued with Albus?"

"Of course that is the part you would pick up." Her voice sounded slightly similar to his when he was sarcastic. "Yes I went there this morning and told him I wanted to discern what he knew and he told me about this prophecy. Then I got angry when he didn't want to tell me what the prediction was about and left after as I said raging for a while."

"You are not ugly." He sighed and then placed her feet on the bed and got up. "And now enough of that. We have a life to face Hermione and we-" He stopped and gripped his arm as if in pain.

"What's wrong?" She had jumped up and was with him.

He gritted his teeth and inhaled sharply. "I am summoned. Please go to Dumbledore and tell him that I left and then I want you to attend the rest of your lessons for today. No reason to skip more than you already have."

Hesitating shortly when he stepped to his wardrobe and extracted a silver mask she pointed at the room. "You can't apparate."

"I know a short cut to the castle boundaries. Now leave Hermione!"

She nodded and was gone in a second.

» » » » » » » » » »

As Bellatrix Lestrange gazed into the darkness her eyes turned to the direction where her latest toy was crumpled on the floor in a messy heap of flesh and blood. Maybe she had overdone it a bit but Lucius had been fun to play with and he was still alive, only how long she honestly couldn't say for sure. The Dark Lord wouldn't mind much she was certain, he was quite fed up with the man and if he returned with Severus there would be other things on his mind. 

In the last months she had begun to distrust the potions Master but so far with little proof as to his new alliances. Her master was too trustful with Severus and she couldn't approach him without any real evidence that he was indeed what she suspected him to be, a traitor.

Well time would help her with this, she was sure. She couldn't wait to see what he came up with to explain his marriage to this mudblood. Oh yes, Hermione Granger was a brilliant witch, even Bellatrix had to admit that. But she still was a muggleborn, somebody who should have never been allowed into the wizarding world. She still remembered her from the ministry last year, she had been a nuisance back then, with all the carefully placed spells and the way she had never lost her head until she had been knocked out that was.

When she had been in Hogwarts herself she had been told that she had the gift, was a seer but so far this skill had never helped her in all her years. This was the first time she had a gut wrenching feeling about this mudblood and Severus. It was as if those two were right now the greatest thread to the Dark Lord but she had no way to prove it. You had to be careful who you blamed in the inner circle and it was a fact that not many people were closer to the Dark Lord than Severus Snape. Bellatrix had seen him torture people to please his Lord and she had seen him administering potions to the master himself to help him survive. No, she surely couldn't talk to anybody until she had any way of proving that her theories and speculations were justified.

In the end none of it all bothered her much. It was only the fact that those two, the mudblood and the potions Master were married that gave her a headache. And in the end it was all due to this little piece of flesh behind her. She itched to perform the killing curse but Voldemort had said to play and not to kill. So she turned to the door neglecting Malfoy for the time and stepped into the house. Time to see if there was a way to kill the mudblood.

» » » » » » » » » »

The dark figure moving over the castle grounds kept to the shadows all the time and if you looked very carefully you could almost see the way his brows were furrowed in concentration. Severus was trying to clear his mind of emotions and thoughts using his occlumency skills and when he had reached the school boundaries he was done only leaving the loyal, cruel devoted Death Eater inside him. Sometimes he wondered if maybe he had grown two different personalities but stopped himself from thinking about such matters.

Placing his body a foot out of the castle grounds, he inhaled one last time and then apparated to wherever his Dark Lord wanted to see him. 

The first thing he saw was one of the persons her liked least with the exception of Voldemort himself and maybe Lucius Malfoy. Bellatrix Lestrange lounged in an arm chair dressed in a low cut scarlet robe and her black hair was flowing down her exposed back. She had been a beautiful woman when she was young but the time in Azkaban had taken its toll on her. Last time he had seen her before the fight in the ministry she had looked pale and her hair had been falling out in parts. She had definitely improved her appearance over the summer and she almost looked like she used to before the fall of Voldemort.

Her face was as usual twisted into a sarcastic grin as she extended her hand to him in a way that implied to kiss it.

"Good morning Severus. Had a pleasant trip?" Her voice was dark and throaty and tainted with malice. The hostility between them was always present even so in front of their Dark Lord they didn't express it openly.

Making two large steps, he bowed in an elegant way and breathed a kiss on her flawless hand. 

"As always it was, Bellatrix. Where is my Lord?" His voice dripped with politeness and venom-  nothing really had changed here in the last months.

"He is waiting for you in his room. I am to welcome you and lead the way. He is angry Severus, any idea why?" she asked and carefully inspected her wand.

"I am sure that he has a reason my dear, since he is all-knowing but I hope to be able to calm him with my presence and possible explanations." Severus understood the warning in her voice, no doubt it was her doing that had made Voldemort furious about him, and he had a slight foreboding about the issue he had to explain in a couple of minutes. 

"I hope you are successful, Severus, since he already killed Lucius an hour ago and you know his moods." She got up and moved into the direction of the stairway with in a graceful way like a panther. Bowing his head as to hide his amusement he followed her. Bellatrix had always wanted to seduce him but so far to no avail. Suppressing all thoughts about Hermione he took the stairs one at a time and disappeared into the room that had the green skull on it. Bellatrix followed and shortly he wondered if maybe this was his execution. Shrugging it off he faced his Lord's furious glare and emptied his mind.

» » » » » » » » » »

„Severus." His voice as usual was shrill and as he lounged there in a chair he appeared like he was in a good mood. Severus knew him better than that. He was furious and barely contained his anger. If he wasn't careful with the first thing he said he would be dead in seconds. 

Gracefully Severus went to his knees and let his wand fall on the floor. 

"If I have offended you my master then do as you please." It was risky manoeuvre he knew but Voldemort treasured and respected courage and fearlessness. He knew that the Dark Lord in all likelihood would only torture him for a while and he had plenty of experience in that.

"Offended is the wrong term my dear friend Severus. I would rather say I feel like you are keeping vital information from me." He got up and grabbed his hair forcing his head up. His eyes bored into his and Severus let him explore the contents of his mind. There was nothing there to blame him for.

"I understand your anger my lord and I would have contacted you sooner but unfortunately since Lucius little stunt I am being watched more closely by the headmaster."

"Dumbledore was always a nuisance and if I could I had him dead by now. So tell me Severus, why wasn't I invited to your wedding with Hermione Granger?" He let his hair go and moved back into the arm chair motioning Bellatrix out of the room.

"There was no real wedding master. Dumbledore forced me to use an ancient necklace to protect her from further attacks and I not knowing what it was used for other than protection used it with her. The wedding simply happened and now I am punished furthermore with having to endure this little mudblood in the dungeons." He let his voice drp with disgust. 

"Can't you kill her?" Voldemort studied his spidery fingers.

"I am afraid she is under Dumbledore's protection as well. At the moment I can't do anything if I don't want to arouse suspicion." Severus still kneeled until Voldemort motioned him to get up.

"I am not really distrusting you my loyal servant but the thought of you, from one of the most selective and blood-clean families, being married to a mudblood is quite… let's say unforeseen the least. But alas if you need to uphold the façade right now I won't argue." Padding the potions Master's back like he was an obedient dog he extended the other hand which was shivering. "You see my tremors Severus. Do you have any means to please your Lord?"

Obediently bowing his head Severus pulled a little vial out of his robes containing some greenish liquid. "Of course my Lord. It was brewed yesterday and that should be adequate."

Gulping down the content Voldemort rested his head against the chair closing his eyes. He was tired and had to sleep. But soon he would be strong enough to prevail against Dumbledore and Harry Potter again and then the wizarding world would be his. He would purge it of all mudbloods.

"Leave now Severus. Return to Hogwarts and as soon as you get access to information contact me."

"Yes my Lord." 


	13. 13 Tears in Heaven

_AN: The title is taken from the wonderful song performed and written by Eric Clapton which is  one of my all time favourites. It has however little to do with this chapter which is actually pretty light. For me, that is. Enjoy._

**13. [ Tears in Heaven ]**

The early afternoon hours found Hermione not in her arithmency classes as Snape had told her to but snuggled into the soft comfortable green blanket on Snape's bed trying to pretend he was actually here with her instead of facing a cruel master and an uncertain fate. Burrowing her head in his pillow she sighed into the cosy fabric allowing her mind to clear for once of all the depressing thoughts. He would return, had to because he knew she couldn't survive this all without him. 

But did he know really? She never told him much about the way she felt or the thoughts racing through her head. It was as if he was so closed up and tight lipped about his emotions that it had the effect of suffocating her whenever she just contemplated sharing her feelings with him. Yesterday had showed her like never before that he probably had buried his feelings for so long that he needed desperately to get rid of them.

Sighing, she pulled her head out of the pillow and looked around in his chamber. It was as depressing as the first time she had been here and silently she contemplated why he forced himself to live like this. He enjoyed spending time in the living room with her so she knew he treasured fine decor and nice surroundings but this here was worse than his office. The office was a place to work in so it wasn't necessary that it looked appealing but in here he spend his nights and some hours during the day- something had to be done about it.

Getting up she considered her options. She was in her sixth year so she could use some magic to get some decoration done but conjuring things out of thin air was difficult and would drain her too much. There wasn't really anything to transfigure her which was the best option since she was quite good in transfiguration. _Or_, she thought looking at her hands, _you could show him how much you care for him and actually try to decorate some things without your wand. _

Chuckling she placed her wand on his bedside table and stepped to the chimney. 

"Dobby?" As soon as the name left her lips the house elf appeared looking eager to please her.

"Dobby, I need some fabric, something brownish, and some nice pillows and maybe some big candles and chandeliers. Where can I get that?"

Snipping his finger an assortment appeared and he jumped up and down in excitement. 

"Dobby can produce even more, just say so Miss and he does. Everything you want he can do, everything."

Sorting through the heap on the floor she took some things and laid them on the bed.

"This might take some times Dobby. You help me decorate Professor Snape's chambers."

"Oh no, oh no." Dobby tried to hide behind his own hands. "Master will be upset and punish Dobby. He never liked it when Dobby changed one thing about his room. He threatened to use Dobby in a potion or to capture him in the dungeons."

Hermione stilled the house elf's trembling with her hands. "Listen Dobby, he won't do any of such things because I tell me it was all me. He will never know you were involved at all and you be long gone before he returns. I need you Dobby, you are much better with conjuring things than I am." Sweet talking and a promise of Snape never finding out did the trick- Dobby nodded still hesitantly but determined.

"Okay, I help Miss. What else do you need?"

» » » » » » » » » »

After his visit to Dumbledore's office and the report about the events of the summoning Severus made way for the dungeons. He was tired as usual from all this use of occlumency and the effort it took to stay calm and make no mistakes. The dark corridors were deserted as usual since potions classes had been cancelled and even his Slytherins staid in another part of the dungeons where they could avoid their head of house as much as they could. Especially in these moments when he returned from one of the summonings he was acutely aware how much he failed his house, how distracted he was by just keeping himself alive. 

When he reached the door to his chamber he instinctively tested the wards and then scanned the room. To his surprise there was somebody inside there, precisely two people and as his bracelet informed him one of those was Hermione. It had felt cold and impassive during the meeting with Voldemort but now it glowed and felt almost alive with buzzing energy.

Pausing shortly he wondered who could be with her. Hopefully not one of her friends, like Potter or Weasly. He was aware that he couldn't forbid her to see her friends, not even in his dungeons but at least she could inform him so that he could avoid the dungeons around that time. A picture of Mr Weasly forever damaging one of his books with his lack of care flashed before his inner eye and he groaned. He would have to talk with her about their behaviour in the dungeons to pretend things like that from happening.

He opened the door without making much sound and peeked inside. To his surprise it was neither the boy-who-lived nor the redhead Weasly but the house elf Dobby that tried to steady a ladder leaning against his window so Hermione could busy herself doing whatever she was doing with the dark red fabric up there. Gazing around he noticed with shock the changes done in the room so that it looked almost comfortable. Nothing drastic only slight touches of some fabric or some candles combined with a couple of pillows and- new furniture. Okay the furniture was completely new and as he stared at the huge four-poster bed with dark green velvet draped around it he shortly wondered what had gotten into his wife.

"Dobby, could you please hold still the ladder? I am almost finished here and I don't want to break my neck while trying to arrange the curtains."

The house elf was obviously excited for some reason. He tippled with his tiny feet and clenched and unclenched his fists.

"But, but Miss was saying Dobby could leave at four and now it's already after six and Master will be here shortly and when he sees Dobby he will test potions and surely kill him." His voice sounded honestly scared.

"Oh Dobby, why do you let Professor Snape scare you so much? You are almost like Neville in that aspect. He is only trying to intimidate you and if you just showed some backbone you would be fine. Honestly, you are a very powerful house elf, you have conjured all these pieces of furniture here out of thin air and you don't belong to any master any longer and still you let people scare you. Do you think Professor Snape would be allowed to kill you with the headmaster around?"

"Dobby don't know Miss. Dobby only knows master Snape is very powerful and if he wanted to he could kill Dobby."

Leaning against the doorframe Snape crossed his arms in front of his chest.

"Exactly and right now I am contemplating doing just that." His quiet silken words had the effect on Dobby that he shrieked and accidentally stumbled against the ladder that began to sway with Hermione slowly loosing her balance. The house elf obviously scared that the wooden ladder would fall upon him jumped away giving it more momentum and Hermione would have surely broken some of her bones had not her husband stilled the ladder with a wave of his wand.

Stepping to the window he gently pulled his wife into his arms and turned to Dobby.

"You better leave now or I might consider forgetting myself and cursing an unforgivable on you." 

Shrieking one more time Dobby snipped and was gone. 

"You shouldn't scare him that much really. He is already intimidated enough as it is." Hermione's voice sounded amused which made him angry for some reason.

"Dobby came off without any punishment because I have a slight idea whose idea this little decoration party was, Hermione." He throw her body onto his bed and towered over her. "What have you done to my room Hermione?"

"Do you like it? It looks like an actual bedroom now and no longer like a tomb. Honestly, you never liked it around here anyhow so please don't make a scene just because I stopped you from crucifying yourself. There will be plenty of opportunity I am sure to punish yourself later." Her eyes flared and she wanted to get up but her husband was sitting astride her middle instantly and pinned her arms to the mattress.

"No, you are not going to leave here like that my dear. What were you trying to prove? That you can step into my life, change it around like you please and then leave? I lived quite fine without you for over three decades and I don't like little girls who conspire with house elves to make my life more hell than it already is." His cheeks showed some red patches and his eyes glowed with an indescribable mix of emotions.

"Hell? I am trying to help you Severus. I am trying to get you to understand that this torture is completely uncalled for. You are a person like everybody else and you made mistakes. Fine. That's human. I fail, Harry fails, even Professor Dumbledore fails I am sure. You are allowed to not always make the right decisions and it doesn't mean nobody is ever going to love you. Just because your father made you believe that there is nothing amiable about you it doesn't mean he was right. I know it better."

"Don't ever mention my father again, do you hear me? He is none of your business, my life is none of your business Hermione." He hissed the last words but something about his anger felt put on to her.

"You don't even mean what you are saying. I am a part of your life. It doesn't matter if you agree or not. We are married and I am not letting you slip away now. Why do you try to isolate yourself so much Severus?"

He let go of her arms and rubbed his face tiredly. "Because nobody wants me." And she understood there was nothing sexual in that sentence.

Carefully she placed her arms around his neck and pulled him down next to her. "I want you Severus but you have to let me in." she whispered and gently caressed his face gazing into his tortured eyes.

He sighed and accepted her embrace and the touches like he was surrendering to something he secretly longed for. 

"You could have broken your neck with that stupid stunt on the ladder." His voice sounded lost.

"I am sorry but I really thought Dobby would keep the ladder still." She murmured and found that his hair wasn't greasy at all but soft and shiny. 

"Hermione you are a witch. Why didn't you use magic to decorate. I always thought you had learned that much in charms." He never lost eye contact to her and she smiled tentatively.

"I wanted to do something nice for you. Not just flick my wand and be done with it but put some effort into it." She gently placed a kiss on his cheek. "I am sorry and promise to be more careful next time."

Severus placed his hands at her cheek and gazed into her eyes with a look of wonder that made her breath quicken.

"Tell me Hermione, we are married aren't we?" His voice felt like velvet against her ear and she shivered.

After she nodded he gently closed the gap between their lips and kissed her chastely but firmly. "Then I think this is definitely called for."

To his surprise she gripped his head and pulled him down kissing him with all the passion she could muster. His tongue crossed into her mouth and for a moment her heart stopped beating. Back then in London things had been different, she had not seen into his heart like she had done now and her heart hadn't felt so many emotions mixed into a whirlwind of feelings. Surrendering to the kiss she gave in and it felt like her body awoke for the first time with the first wave of passion pulsing through her.

A second later he pulled away and tried to scramble off the bed but she held him close.

"What's wrong Severus?" Her voice was soft and calming as he shivered slightly in her arms.

"I can't." He looked into her eyes and she saw all the pain there, the shame and the deeply hurt boy who still wasn't convinced that he deserved all of this. 

She gently caressed his cheek. "Then I wait until you can. We have time." 

He nodded and this time when he made a move she let him go. 

» » » » » » » » » »

That night in the great hall Hermione felt uneasy among her peers. It wasn't as if they were treating her in a different way or that they made her feel like she wasn't a part of Gryffindor house any longer, no it was something else. It wasn't them, she realized with sudden insight but her. She felt alien in between her friends and housemates as if she belonged somewhere else.

Gazing at the high table she saw her husband talking with Professor McGonagall and judging by his pained expression he wasn't enjoying it. Their eyes met shortly and for one second his lips curled up in a grin. Her head of house interrupted her talk and followed her fellow teacher's gaze. Hermione quickly looked away and so she missed the amused expression on Minerva McGonagall's face.

"Hermione." Harry's face looked inquiringly and she tried to focus on the chatter around her.

"What's up Harry?"

"I just wondered whether we could visit you in the dungeons sometime this evening. We haven't spent much time in ages. We miss you."

Gently she smiled. "I miss you too. I ask Professor Snape later and tell you, okay?"

Lavender looked at her with sudden interest. "Why are you still calling him Professor? He is your husband isn't he?"

"Yeah but  Dumbledore told you it's just so that he can protect her and not because she really likes him." Ron piped in and padded his friend's back.

Hermione shook off his hand feeling dirty all in a sudden and straightened her shoulders.

"I call him Professor because in this context here at the table he is my teacher. But I can assure you all that in the privacy of our chambers I call him Severus. And just so that you know Ron, I actually really like him. He is a much better person than you all give him credit for and I won't allow any more slandering of him, do you hear me Ronald Weasly?"

Opening and closing his mouth Ron nodded. 

"Fine. Then I can leave and actually return to our rooms with my husband and ask him if you can come over tonight." With that she got up and walked up to the high table.

Ron gripped Harry's arm and whispered. "You think he cursed her?"

Harry sighed and padded his friend's back. "No I think she actually likes him."

» » » » » » » » » » » 

"… of course I told Mr Longbottom to undo what he had done to Miss Patil but obviously he had cursed her without meaning it." Minerva shook her head. "I have never heard that somebody had performed a spell without being aware of doing so."

"Mr Longbottom seems to be a person who does a lot of things for the first time. Like blowing up three cauldrons in one double potions class." Severus sneered and emptied his glass of pumpkin juice. "But alas, you would think that after five years of teaching him I am used to it by now."

"Just be glad that Miss Granger tutors him and prevents some of the catastrophes from happening or your might not have made it up to here alive." Minerva chuckled and picked the last crump of her cake.

"I don't even want to know how often she secretly helps him in class without me noticing. The times I am noticing are already countless." Severus mused softly.

"One might think this is one the Gryffindor traits you despise so much Severus. Helping one another is quite common in my house."

Raising one eye brow the potions Master sneered again. "Ah yes, I almost forgot that Hermione is in Gryffindor. My, my if she had been sorted into Slytherin her intellect would have mesmerized the whole wizarding world instead of being abused by her so-called friends."

Minerva chuckled dryly. "One might think you actually like her Severus. You are risking your reputation mate."

"Just because I am not spoiling her rotten with praise and carrying her around so that she forgets how to walk herself doesn't mean I am not appreciating her fierce intellect. If everybody treated her like you or Remus do, she would be even more careless than she is already. At least she is working harder for potions than ever."

"No wonder since you refuse to acknowledge the fact that she is bloody brilliant Severus." Remus Lupin's voice was amused but sincere. "Give her some credit now and then, you do the poor girl injustice."

"She is no helpless doll Remus. She can perform powerful spells and create the most complicated potions, you don't have to protect her from everything she is going to have to face when she leaves Hogwarts. I intend to prepare my students for the real world where nobody will care if they were brilliant prime students." Snape rubbed his left arm unconsciously.

Remus noticed as did Minerva and they exchanged a short glance.

Minerva cleared her throat. "Well, however that is, none of you will argue that our dear Miss Granger awaits a bright future when she is to leave our school."

"Miss Snape."

"What did you say, Severus."

His voice sounded soft and he looked into his empty cup. "I said her name is Miss Snape now." He looked up and faced Minerva's surprised look.

"Of course, I forgot. I apologize Severus. It might take some time until we are all used to the way things have changed so quickly."

"That figures since I myself have yet to get used to the fact that I am married to one of my students." Severus frowned shortly. "It's strange where fate sometimes leads you to in life."

Remus smiled softly. "Only too true my friend. It's all about finding our place in life anyhow in the end."

» » » » » » » » » »

Hermione stepped around the teacher's table and tried to approach Severus from his back. As she got nearer she heard Remus utter "It's all about finding our place in life anyhow in the end."

_Only too true. I wish I was clearer about my place._

In all honesty she didn't know any longer where she belonged to. She was muggle-born and yet a witch, she was a Gryffindor but yet married to the head of Slytherin. She was disgusted by what Voldemort had done yet she was ready to forgive her husband everything. She was confused and wanted nothing more than anybody to tell her where she really belonged to.

As she stepped behind the tall figure of Severus he tensed up and then relaxed again.

"Good evening, Hermione." His voice sounded amused but controlled. It was a warning and she understood it. She was a mudblood and in public he had to be detached.

"Good evening Professor." 

Minerva smiled and motioned her nearer. "Hello Miss Granger. Have you already finished your meal?"

"Yes, Professor. I was just on my way to the dungeons." 

"And you wanted to know if Severus was finished as well so that you could leave together." The transfiguration teacher's eyes were alight with mild amusement.

"Exactly, professor." 

Shortly Minerva met Severus' gaze over the girl's head and saw the half-grin twisting his features. Again she was stuck at the thought that she would never truly understand her former student and that maybe nobody ever would. But, gazing one more time at the soft, timid smile of her prime student when her eyes met the potions Master's, she sincerely hoped that maybe Hermione would one day be able to accept the fact that Severus was and would always be a mystery. Minerva had the feeling that perhaps that would safe them both.

"I am finished here anyhow, so may I excuse myself?" His voice was polite and silken.

"You may" nodded Remus good-natured. "Have a nice evening, the both of you."

"Thank you, professor Lupin." Hermione beamed and then turned to her husband. "May we?"

Extending his arm Severus smiled gallantly. "We may." And together they left the high table and escorted by the excited whisper of the student body they left the hall. 

Minerva glanced at her colleague. "What do you think Remus?"

"I think that maybe Hermione has managed the impossible." He grinned and raised his glass. "And tamed the beast. Cheers!"

_Hope that was something light, a tad fluffy and as non-angsty as I can write. The next chapter will have more of what you are used to now with this story. And for all Lucius Malfoy friends, I am going to write a whole chapter about him and his last hours. Review please if you like._


	14. 14 A Family Thing

_This chapter for the first time was edited by the wonderful Carrie who has helped tremendously in not ruining canon, keeping Snape as much in character as possible and generally making my English more fluent. Kudos to her for doing a wonderful job and from now she will do me this favour in every chapter._

**14. [ A family thing ]**

Glancing over at her husband sitting across from her in the arm chair near the now flickering chimney fire and deeply engrossed in a book about the cruciatus curse she noticed how relaxed he looked this evening. He had even undone his robes which was always a sign that he felt comfortable enough with her to let down his armour. He had pulled back his black hair into a pony tail which gave his face much sharper edges. "Severus, can I ask for a favour?"," she quietly asked.

Raising his eyes he bored them into hers and grinned ruefully. "Depends on what the favour is Hermione. No more decorating of my rooms. My office stays the tomb it is."

She blushed shortly. "Very funny. I agreed on it, as you might remember. No it's something else." He waited not trying to rush her, something she liked about him very much. He respected the time it took to phrase difficult thoughts.

_Just spit it out Granger. He will snap at you anyhow but you promised._

In all truth she would rather stay here by the fire and watch him all evening instead of answering questions posed at her by Harry and Ron. But they were her friends and she had promised them she would address their issues. It wasn't her fault if Severus didn't allow it.

"You know, it would probably help if you actually said something since I am much too tired to use my Legilimency skills tonight." was his dry humoured remark tinged with undertones of annoyance.

"Again I am struck by your sense of humour." She sighed. "Okay but I am just asking so please don't snap okay?"

Actually he was aware of what she wanted to ask. It was probably about Potter and Weasly. And the next sentence justified his notion.

"Can, maybe, Harry and Ron come and visit me tonight? We will only stay in my room and they won't touch a thing of yours." She bowed her head not wanting to see the hatred in his eyes. Very likely they would never come to agreement on their house differences.

Getting up he gently tipped up her head and smiled shortly. "I think you should look me in the eyes when asking me to allow two of the most horrible students into my chambers, don't you think so?"

She nodded and was again sharply reminded how little she could anticipate the man before her. There was much amusement in his eyes, a tad of uneasiness and she realized he was seriously contemplating her request.

Then obviously having reached a conclusion, he let her go ahead and emptied his glass of whiskey. "You can ask them over as often as you wish to Hermione. They are your friends and even though I dislike both of them, I won't ask you to share my sentiment." He turned boring his steely eyes into hers. "But there are a couple of rules I have to ask to remember."

She nodded mutely relieved that he was okay with her friends visiting her. She was missing Harry and Ron in some way but more importantly she felt sometimes strangely alien with her peers and hoped to change that with seeing them more often.

"First of all, my bedroom is strictly forbidden. Second, you are responsible for any damage done to my books. They are very valuable and I won't tolerate any meddling with them by one of your friends." He cupped her cheek and curled up his lips. "I am making an effort here Hermione. I still dislike Gryffindors in general but I am willing to reconsider my point of view."

Getting up she embraced his middle and inhaled. "I know, Severus and I appreciate it. But Harry is not James and Ron is not Sirius. They are fine people and maybe you'll discover that you like them." At his incredulous look she amended. "Okay, or at least be able to tolerate them." She smiled.

For a moment they kept silent both enjoying the feeling of being home and the warm humming of the chains. The necklace felt warm and velvety against her skin and as she snuggled into his shirt she realized that for the first time the thought of sharing her life with Severus Snape didn't scare her but felt inviting. She desperately wanted to understand what it was to be a Snape, wanted to understand him, and the curisositycuriosity was driving her mad.

"Tell me about your family." It was nothing more than a whisper and she almost anticipated him tensing up.

"Why?"

She gazed into his eyes that were pools of blackness now, unreadable as always when she knew he felt threatened or questioned.

"Because I want to know something about the family I belong to Severus."

He sighed and sat down on his chair again pulling her into his lap while he coolly explained,. "It's not a pretty story Hermione. My family is a pureblood Slytherin family, full of prejudices and hatred. There is a reason why I am the last living member of my clan and there is a reason why I am not proud of my background. I'd rather not tell you about it."

"No matter what you tell me, I will still look up to you. I want to understand you, your family history and I want to understand the house of Slytherin."

"I already feared that you would insist. No doubt one of your less favourable Gryffindor traits. But alas, I can understand your longing but I am not sure if my tales will make you understand Slytherins and the principles this house has any better. There is a reason why you have been sorted into Gryffindor and the reason is probably that you won't share the faith of the house. Besides the fact that you are muggleborn, and never in a thousand years has a muggleborn been sorted into Slytherin."

"Still. I have a right to know. And I don't have to share your opinions to grasp them." She linked her hands behind his neck and snuggled up against his chest again steeling herself against all she was to hear.

"All right, but don't complain later. I will tell you a part of the story tonight and then you are allowed to call your friends over so that they can leave before curfew. I won't tolerate any rule breaking, even from your friends."

"Yes, sir." as she shot him a slanted grin..

He raised his eye brows. "Cheeky girl. Don't forget I can deduct house points from you. And now silence so that I can start my tale."

Still grinning she nodded not being fooled for a second that he would really take house points but nevertheless curious about the story.

"My family is a very old family. You cannot talk about the history of the house of Slytherin without talking about the Snapes. One of my ancestors was in school when the founders had just started Hogwarts and my family has since then been one of the greatest donors. Every year hundreds of Galleons are transferred from my family to Hogwarts. Every Snape has been sorted into Slytherin, except a few who have been sorted into Ravenclaw. That is the reason why our family crest contains a serpent. The Snapes traditionally only married within pureblood families, so up until now our blood is clean of any muggle blood. That is one of the things my family is proud of. The others things are among others our wealth, our skills in the Dark Arts and a certain ability to always come out of harm's way with a clean slate." He chuckled without any humour and with underlying bitterness. "It is strange how much things changed when Voldemort arrived. My whole family was of course dedicated to the whole idea of purging the wizarding world of anybody who in their opinion never should have been allowed any access. During the first rise of Voldemort in the 70s my whole family became Death Eaters and almost all were killed by Aurors. The few that survived are still in Azkaban but most of them with no recollection of who they are. I am the only Snape left and therefore the whole family fortune today is owned by me. Not that I treasure it much- it only reminds me of the vices my family fell victim to. It was greed and a total neglect of using their intellect that got my family where it is today."

When he didn't continue she cleared her throat. "Are you related to Lucius Malfoy?"

"Yes, but most families in Slytherin are related since they mostly marry within their own house. It's not as if the Snapes and Malfoys are very closely related. Actually my family is more linked with the Black family for example."

"Sirius' family? You two were relatives?"

He snorted. "Not very close ones I can assure you. But yes, I think we are almost something like second degree cousins. Not that it made us like each other and since he was in Gryffindor he was not considered a true Black anyway. I remember quite vividly the way Bellatrix, his cousin, used to talk about him. Bellatrix had a way of showing that there was nothing but disgust and hatred in her voice which always made me fear that she would try to kill him."

For a moment she stared at him, then blurted. "You were _afraid she would kill him? But you hated him!"_

"That's true, but I can honestly say I hate Bellatrix more. And I know he was of use to the Order so it would have been foolish to wish for his death."

"You sounded different in the shrieking shack in my third year."

He sighed. "I never expected to see him again and I have to admit that my feelings overwhelmed me in that second. And believe me or not I was scared for what he would do to the lot of you. I truly believed he was responsible for James' and Lilly's murder. It was _my_ mistake."

Gazing at him with wonder she gently stroked his cheek that was a tad stubby. "You were worried about us? Why?"

"Why? You are my students. Insufferable Gryffindors but nevertheless students. I felt responsible for your well-being like I feel responsible for every student's well-being. And I am in debt with Harry's father so I wanted to protect James Potter's son."

"Why do you hate Harry so much?"

"Contrary to what you all believe, I don't hate you, but I simply dislike the fact that everybody adores Harry for something he had no active part in. I despise the fact that he is famous for nothing."

"It's not as if he enjoys being famous. He didn't even know he was a wizard since he was accepted at Hogwarts."

"How come? The Potter's are an old magic family? Didn't they tell him about his great deed all his life? How he defeated he-who-must-not-be-named?" The irony dripped from his voice.

"No." Hermione sighed. "Harry was raised by the family of his mothers. Muggles as you know. Her sister had no magic talent and despised the wizarding world. They never told Harry about his mother and father and they made up a story about them dying in a car accident. He was forced to live in a cupboard under the stairs and up till today they hate him. He didn't have a nice childhood, Severus."

He looked honestly stunned. "I had no idea they kept him so ignorant.  I was aware he experienced unhappy events infrom his childhood due to our exchanges during his dismal occlumency lessons, and unhappiness in childhood is a sadly common experience Hermione.  But to keep him ignorant…."  The bitter irony of the situation was one Snape could taste.

"You never asked. Instead you chose to blame him for things he is not guilty of."

For a second she saw his temper rise, his eyes began to darken but then it was gone and he sighed. "Well, I have been a little biased but he constantly oversteps the rules and bringing his and his friend's lives into severe danger. He may be the boy-who-lived but he is not invincible. He can die and if he continues with his rushed behaviour the Dark Lord will have the pleasure of killing him very soon."

"The Dark Lord?" She frowned. "You never call him Voldemort. Why is that?", her curiosity running out of control.

Severus closed his eyes and rubbed his temple as if in pain. "Because if I start I might slip while being on a Dark Raid and that would earn me a least two hours of the cruciatus curse. My life is an assemblage of lies, what-ifs, maybes and half-truths. Quite frankly it's just a risk I don't want to take." He looked tired all in a sudden. "Please do not mention this conversation with anyone, Hermione, do you understand what is at stake here?"

Cupping his cheek she gently placed a kiss on his stubby cheek. "Yes, thanks for trusting me enough to tell me."

Grinning ruefully he took her hand from his cheek and caressed her palm. "You are welcome and I promise I will answer more of your questions soon." He looked at the clock and sighed again, then in a low voice he said. "If you want your friends to come over you better hurry. It's already eight o'clock."

Nodding she slid off his lap and extended her hand helping him up. "What are you going to do while they are here? I assume you won't be here at all."

"You assume correctly." He curled his lips up into a smirk. "I am going to correct some more essays in the peaceful environment of my office. Feel free to use the living room." Shortly he bent down and breathed a kiss on her forehead.

Turning around he left the room and for a moment Hermione stood in the middle of the room staring at the now closed door.

» » » » » » » » » » 

"I can't believe Snape let us use his living room." Harry looked around in wonder as the three were sitting next to the chimney sharing some sweets. Ron had curled up against one of arm chairs and Hermione was spread on top of the scarlet carpet next to the fire. Harry had gotten up and inspected the shelves full of books, realizing this was Hemione'sHermione's heaven.

"Yeah." Ron quickly gulped down some more chocolate and wiped his mouth. "Exactly."

"And it looks not at all like I expected his quarters to be." Said Harry as he carefully let his fingers glide over the shelves. "I begin to understand why you feel comfortable here Hermione." He grinned up at her and she answered in kind.

"He actually is really very nice to me and he hasn't once deducted any points." A soft smile played over her features lighting up her face. "I feel like I finally found someone, who is, like me you know?" She bored her eyes into Ron's. "It's not as if I don't love you guys but you boys are interested in quidditch and playing pranks. He is… different." She finished not wanting to give away more than she had to.

To her surprise Ron nodded in understanding. "That's okay, Mione. I understand, really I do. It's just not everyday that your best friend marries the head of Slytherin who is an evil greasy bat." He grinned saying the last words letting her know that he didn't mean them. "Harry and I talked before we came here and I have to say whatever makes you happy, he will not have me arguing about it."

"Even if that is Snape." Harry added.

For a second they shared a moment of silence until Harry noticed a wizard's chess board on a nearby table.

"Fancy playing a game of chess Ron?"

» » » » » » » » » » »

It was half an hour later as Severus stepped into his living room and to his surprise Hermione was nowhere to be seen and her two friends were obviously busy playing a game of chess. He cringed, well if you could call this playing chess. From what he saw the Weasley boy was slightly better than his friend.

Leaning against the door he watched the two teens while they were obviously concentrating on their game. They were his wife's friends and sooner or later he had to make an effort to get along with them. Hermione was after all trying to understand him as well.

Sighing with resignation, he pushed away from the door which made Harry look up. Instantly his face changed into a mask of worry.

Snape couldn't help but sneer. "Look at the time." He snorted. "Not that it is anything new finding you two out after curfew."

"We- we were only…" Harry gulped and motioned to the chess board. "We must have lost track of time, Professor."

Stepping next to the dark haired boy Snape crossed his arms in front of his chest.

"You notice that you will be check mated in two moves?"

Harry nodded glumly. "I am not very good, I know."

Snape snorted. "It's not about talent Potter but about using your intellect. Chess is logical strategy, you have to anticipate your opponents every move." He motioned him to get up and with a wave of his wand the chess board cleared. "Dare to play against me, Mr Weasley?"

Ron gulped but nodded and straightened his shoulders. Harry sat down on the window sill and watched as the game began.

» » » » » » » » » » »

When Hermione returned from changing her school robes into jeans she found Ron and Snape sitting opposite each other and obviously playing a game of chess. Harry leaned against the window watching intensely as Severus explained the way he played to him. 

Silently she closed the door to her bedroom again and shared a look with Crookshanks who had curled up on her bed and appeared sleepy.

"Who would have thought?" Deciding to wait awhile longer she sat down next to the furry tiger and began to caress his jaw making him purr with delight. 

Maybe the question where she belonged was not whether in Slytherin or Gryffindor. Maybe it was to merge worlds, to create the place where she belonged in the end. 

She remembered Professor Lupin's words this evening at dinner. 

_" It's all about finding our place in life anyhow in the end."_

Perhaps she ought to stop looking and start acting. 

» » » » » » » » »

Blodwen Snape was a proud Slytherin woman, a woman who had never let her will be bent by men just because they thought she was supposed to be doing something. Maybe part of her great-great-great-grand-son's (probably many more greats estimating that she was already a thousand years dead) stubbornness was in reality inherited from her as he was as unwilling to let his will be bent by others. 

But then again that cad of his father brought his life to this point and even Blodwen knew that he was suffering. Suffering to such extend that he head forgotten how to heal, how to make amends and accept the fact that some deeds were necessary and did not require forgiveness but gratitude. Yes, there was blood on his hands, more than she liked to think about right now, he had turned himself into a nice little copy of his father Severus Snape senior. Blodwen had always despised the men of her family, Snape men in general were unusually cruel and had a tendency to be sadistic, revelelingrevelling in another's terror and pain. Again it seemed that Severus had followed his father's foot steps all too willingly without considering where he was going.

Men were to be lead in life, it was something she knew first-hand, had done on numerous occasions with her husband, who wasn't a Snape by birth but nevertheless distracted by life in itself and only her fierce intellect and bossiness had saved his neck on countless occasions. Sometimes in very quiet hours she wondered if maybe men were meant to be cruel but then she considered a person like Albus and these thoughts vanished instantly.

Tracing the girl's face in the small mirror, the dark curls shadowing her face.Theface. The pleasant face that would never be considered beautiful but pretty by those who wished to look a second time. She was so much like herself, like she had been when youth and lack of wisdom had made her weak and so easy to forgive. Smiling curtly she sighed and turned around to her companion for this evening who was sitting in a huge stone throne across the room.

_Men- they always have to impress others with power!_

"Why have you brought me back Salazar? Why have you interrupted my peaceful oblivion with such trivial matters?" She would not show how much her family history shocked her, made her angry with fate in general. Only one Snape left and he was too unsure on what to do to get himself out of the mess in which he had gotten.

"Still hot blooded as back then, Bloodwen?. You were always a delight to have around, such fire and spice."

Her glare matched the PpotionsPotions Master's in class. "You could have never taken my fire Salazar, nor could have Godric or any other wizard. Again I ask you why  I am here."

"To help me, of course."

"I can't see that I agreed to help you in any matter at all my dear friend." Her voice was sweet with dripping politeness. "I think I am just going to leave since you, like most men, don't know what you want from me. My time is a precious thing and I won't waste it here."

"I thought you would want to save your poor excuse for a grand-son. He has sunken low, Bloodwen, lower than you can allow."

"Severus is no matter that I wish to discuss with _you_ Salazar. This is family business, a thing that only pertains to Snapes." She sneered and with a bend of her neck her black hair fell into her face.

"But it is your necklace, Bloodwen. You created that bond to allow women some control over their husbands and now see where your useless relative has gotten with his careless demeanour."

"The necklace is still working. I cannot see any wrong here."

"A mudblood is wearing it and the blood, your blood, will be tainted very soon with the disgusting scent of muggles. Can you let this happen, Bloodwen considering where you come from, taking in account your life? Can you?"

"I see no spark yet. They are not in love and in all likelihood never will be. I see no danger of our blood being tainted, actually I see more danger of our family ceasing to exist. But there is absolutely nothing I can do about it." Bloodwen gazed into the girl's face again trying to feel some kind of hatred but failed. 

"They are already falling in love and you can see it as well. You are going soft, Bloodwen. You know what is at stake, you know about the prophecy since you made it yourself. You know that you promised the founders to prevent the prediction from ever becoming real. It is not only your life at stake but your whole family's existence is at risk here." Salazar leaned back and extended his wand. "So, will you stay here and help me with fulfilling an ancient promise?"

Without another word she extended her wand as well and a green light bathed the room into a soft glow. She had never argued when she knew it was futile. Hardening her heart against any feelings she closed her eyes and began to mutter a spell that was as old as the wizarding world was.

» » » » » » » » » »

In his living chambers Severus looked up and an alarmed expression appeared on his face.

"Hermione." The whisper was full of pain as he felt the spell taking effect and he tried to get to her, tried to get up or to voice a warning but then everything turned dark.

_First cliff-hanger and I know I am evil. You have to wait._


	15. 15 Unforgivable Deeds

_Warning for this chapter: Explicit sexual scenes (as explicit as the rating allows) and some language. Again a darker tone than before. Enjoy and review if you like. As always kudos go to the wonderful and talented Carrie who edits my work and makes it that much better in the end. [.. ..] indicates scenes of the past._

**15. [Unforgivable Deeds ]**

The view into the garden was always depressing, more so on a day as rainy and cloudy as today with fog almost covering the entire outer world. It looked as if nobody cared enough to cut grass and nature was allowed to do with it as it pleased. 

Frowning the raven-haired woman pulled her robes tighter around her sinuous body almost completely concealing her crimson dress underneath the black billowing cloth. It was cold in here, almost as cold as in a tomb, which if you looked at the situation was not so far from the truth. Twisting her features into an evil smirk she blocked out the pitiful moans from the bloody blond haired heap of flesh strung up on chains against the wall. She desperately hoped Lucius would pull himself together soon, he was grating on her nerves and she was quite frankly sick and tired of it. At least Severus knew how to deal with pain and he rarely gave you the pleasure of even acknowledging the cruciatus curse. 

Shifting her weight from one foot to the other she saw her reflection in the mirrorr and snorted. She was a beautiful woman, everybody was seduced by her one time or another with the exception of Voldemort himself, but he was beyond human pleasure. Lucius was hers to play with for twenty years now and once she had even seduced her own cousin Sirius, who hated her even more after that. Men followed her like obedient puppies if she chose to accept their devotion, no exception.

Well, no exception but one. Severus Snape. He had never even complimented her, never had he looked at her with barely concealed hunger in his eyes, never in all the years they knew each other had he tried to advance on her. And so consequently it had been one of her private life goals to make him fall for her, to turn him into an obsessed human being but so far, no luck. He was ignoring her as he had always done and it ate away at her self-esteem. Bellatrix was not to be ignored, she always had been worshipped for her power and her beauty, and she would not be denied, not by Severus, not by any man..

Glancing shortly into a now bewitched frame where once a picture of Merlin himself had been, she focused all her hatred on the picture of Hermione Granger that resided there. In the picture it was Bellatrix who dominated, she tortured the mudblood, she gagged her and she triumphed over her in glory. Now the girl was bonded to a wall and tears welled up in her eyes slowing falling on her snow white cheeks.

"Yes, darling. Cry over your loss, you will never be more than a filthy mudblood." Her voice sounded like a hiss and when her view rested on the dark figure lying next to the chained girl she sighed. "Oh Severus, soon I will have you for real and then you will forget your mudblood under my ministrations. And she will be dead without anybody mourning for her fate."

Another painful cry broke the illusion and Bellatrix turned around to Malfoy, more than slightly annoyed that her pleasurable picture had been interrupted. 

"Just get it together Lucius. You are such a weak disgrace for a Death Eater." 

For a second his crystal blue eyes noticed hers and then they rolled back. He was unconscious again and Bellatrix sat down on a chair waiting for him to wake up. She needed some help to get her hands on Severus who was better suited for her little games of pain than Severus' ex-lover.

» » » » » » » » » »

Albus felt the moment the spell started to take effect and he had to force himself to keep seated behind his desk. All his instincts told him to rush down to the dungeons and to use his power to destroy the source of this spell but he was bound by ancient wizarding laws which he had promised he would not overstep.

Sighing his eyes met Minerva's across the room and he could even understand her barely unconcealed anger directed towards him. 

Magic chains bound McGonagall to her chair, making it impossible for her to move and her wand rested on his desk.  She was furious as well as full of righteous indignation.

"If  I could be sure that you would keep your promise I would unbind you, but I have to say while I understand your reasons your attempted full body-bind really surprised me, my dear." He took off his spectacles as if to block her fuming out. "But then again I should have known that you care as much for Severus and Ms Snape is your prime student. Alas, as you know I have no choice , especially given your belief it is the proper Gryffindor action to save them." He mused seriously.

She kept her lips firmly closed and her face was consorted into a mask of anger and fury. Her eyes betrayed her however and Albus saw the understanding in the brown pools.

"Thank you my dear." His eyes twinkled shortly. "But I won't unbind you yet."

The Gryffindor anger was back instantly. 

» » » » » » » » » »

After a house elf had tended to Lucius for an hour and after some healing charms casted by Bellatrix herself he was finally able to listen to her again. Sweeping into his room she carelessly flopped down onto the king-size bed next to him not paying any attention to his moan.

"So my dear Lucius," she purred, "now that you are feeling better we can finally discuss some important matters." She turned her head a fraction and bored her steely eyes into his making him shift uncomfortably. "There is a reason why you are not dead yet my darling Lucius, and the reason is that I need you." She gently caressed his groin, feeling a growing erection through the sheets. "And if you are a good boy and give me what I want, maybe you get into my good graces again. Yes?"

The moans had now turned from pain to delight and he closed his eyes in obvious pleasure. Bellatrix watched him with amusement until he gasped her name. She had to admit he was conventionally handsome with a nice athletic build, long thick blond hair, and sapphire eyes that could melt ice.  Lucius was every woman's fantasy and she thought how her sister has chosen well concerning his beauty.  In contrast  to Severus, Lucius always wanted her and was all too willing and too easy. Had always been that way and he was an excellent lover never failing to satisfy her.

Having made up her mind she shifted into the persona of the seductress and exposed her left breast. Her voice sounded sultry as she began to lick Lucius bare chest. There was no difference between pain and pleasure to Bellatrix, as long as she was not on the receiving end of the pain that was.

"I think I'll give my pet a treat to make up for the torture he had to endure. Tell me Lucius, do you want to fuck me?" she teasingly whispered through his hair inhaling the musky scent of his body and the sweet odour of sweat.

He gripped her body and pulled her on top of his hissing a heated "Yes."

Chuckling Bellatrix pushed the covers away exposing his cock and pushed her robe off her shoulders. As he filled her she revelled in the exquisite pleasure of a mindless fuck. She would never understand why Severus could not find any pleasure in things like this. Emptying her mind of the cursed Potions Master she gave herself over to the act.

» » » » » » » » » » » »

[…  In the first moment Hermione didn't understand what was happening. It felt as if her feet had lost contact with the ground and for a moment, neither space nor time seemed to be of any importance. They simply lost their meaning and a strange almost iron taste was on her tongue making her wish for a glass of water to rinse it away. She realized the bed was gone underneath her and Crookshanks' purr was missing as well.

The ground underneath her was cold and felt like stone and after a while with no more strange sensations she carefully opened her eyes and closed them instantly again.

_Merlin, I must have lost my mind or I would never see my husband in his Death Eater robes, no doubt younger, standing over me._

"Get up!" His voice sounded harshly cold and defied any knowledge of her.

She opened her eyes again but this time she noticed that it wasn't her he was talking to but a man who cowered in a corner of the cell she was in. Looking around she was instantly reminded of Harry's experience with the diary. Obviously Severus couldn't see her and she was very clearly in the past.

_But why I am here? Merlin knows I would never wish to be here._

 She stared into her husband's eyes and saw nothing in their blackness but raw burning anger and cold grim determination as he stepped over to peer heartlessly down upon the crouched man shaking and bleeding on the floor.  The wetness was blood, and it covered her hands like slick cold oil.

"Didn't you hear me, Zachary? I said get up instantly from this stone floor that is too good for you." he angrily hissed.

The man looked up and Hermione saw his face that spoke of nothing but sadness and regret. His eyes were empty hollows as he bored them into Severus' and to her utter horror she realized they were the  eyes of a man who knew he was going to die. Screaming she begged Severus to stop, but it did no good.

"One day you will see the mistake in your thinking Severus and then I sincerely hope you will follow my example." He smiled as if in pain as he saw the mask of fury on the man he was talking to. "Of course not today but I have looked into your soul and there is good in you, much more good than you realize now, much more than this death eaters' path will allow."

"Is that what you are thinking, _my friend_?" Severus spoke softly in a coldly silken venemous voice as he brought his face close to that of the kneeling man. "Let's see how much of your _faith_ is still left when I am finished with you, shall we?"

With that he pointed his wand in the direction of the man and uttered a short "_Crucio". Zachary began to tremble, fell over screaming a the top of his lungs and crying as if his guts were being ripped out.  More blood slowly flowed unto the stones in front of her._

"Feels good my friend, doesn't it, close to death- can you taste it's sweetness?" He said with grim satisfaction, then like a lighting strike with unbridled anger "NEVER accuse me of betraying my master ever again. Do you hear me?" He stepped nearer and kicked hard into the other man's ribs, hearing them crack. "Do you hear me? ANSWER ME!"

"I hear you Severus as I always heard you." Gagging and coughing, he turned his pale face up and grinned with resolute determination and calm through the pain. "Do you know what they say about me? About my gift?" he heaved out the words.

Severus snorted. "Yes, you are a seer." He spit down upon Zachary's shoulder. "Can't be much you can see, or you would have seen your own worthless death."

"Who says I didn't see it, my friend? Some people come not to treasure their own lives very much when compared to something like the truth they believe in."

Sneering with obvious disbelief Severus leaned against the cell wall and spoke patronizingly to the body on the floor. "I will never be stupid enough to feel that way. I value my own life over everything except my master. I will never be foolish enough to fall for such weakness proposed by the likes of Albus Dumbledore."

Zachary nodded. "Your time will come my friend, but my vision about you had nothing to do with you betraying Voldemort." He grinned through the pain when he saw the other man flinch when he heard the name. "It has something to do with a girl, many years from now."

"What girl? And don't think that I will forget what I came here to do Zachary."

"I always knew you would kill me, Severus,and I hope that the guilt one day will drive you to turn against those who have only destruction on their mind." He spat, "Alas, finish the deed or Bellatrix will join us soon. Send regards to her when you see her. I bet she is inconsolable that she wasn't the one chosen to eliminate me."

"I will, but better hurry, as you said I have little time." He paused and said silkily, " unless you'd rather I hand you over to Bellatrix…"

Gasping for air the man said, "I know your attitude towards muggle born witches Severus, but there will be a time when you will change your sentiment. I have seen a girl with messy dark curls who will mean the world, and life itself, to you.  It doesn't matter what happens to me anymore knowing that love will melt that hatred in your soul." 

Severus sneered. "A mudblood? All I will do is cleanse the world of her. I will never ever feel anything but disgust and hate towards a filthy unworthy mudblood." He raised his wand aiming it at Zachary. "Say goodbye to your life."

"_Avada kadavra!" A green light illuminated the room and then she was pulled away again loosing all sense of time and space falling into the unknown. ….]_

» » » » » » » » » »

It had been just minutes when the three were contemplating a trivial game of chess.  Now Harry gulped as he saw the motionless figure of his friend lying on her bed next to her cat. She looked dead to him even so Professor Dumbledore insisted that she was only _far away as he had phrased it. When Snape had blacked out Harry had instantly floo'ed the headmaster and Ron had went looking for Hermione. Dumbledore had arrived in that little time that Harry suspected he had waited for their call and the Potions Master had awoken after two or three minutes._

Right now Snape stood at the window shoulders hunched up and his eyes all the time focused on Hermione. Ron sat next to him on a chair and right now Professor McGonagall fussed over her star student while the headmaster talked quietly to his Potions Master. For a moment it looked as if the hook-nosed man wanted to argue but then he nodded curtly.

A slight moan from the bed brought everybody to gather around it in two seconds and slowly Hermione opened her eyes. Her face remained impassive until her eyes passed the headmaster.

"You knew." Was all she said to him but her voice held nothing but reproach, pain and loss.

Dumbledore patted her shoulder. "I knew Ms Snape but don't judge people from what you see in one moment out of time. There is much more to this story than you can guess right now."

"But, but he just killed him!- without cause, IN COLD BLOOD!", her voice was shaky with anger, sadness and betrayal,  and to Harry's surprise she pointed accusingly at the figure of her husband still standing by the window with an emotionless face. "He killed him, tortured him with the Cruciatus Curse before that,  and you just forgive him!" She sounded incredulous.  Silent tears of despair rolled down her cheeks, not knowing what to feel and believe any longer., "It wasn't in self defence or provoked- how could I have been so fooled into thinking,…..anything….." she fell silent and all that could be heard were her pitiful sobs of heart-wrenching sorrow.

"Forgiving is not something you deserve but something you need, Ms Snape  I am aware of all of Severus' deeds and the reason is because he told me all the details of every curse he ever cast and of every killing curse he ever muttered. I know all of it and I chose to forgive  because I know he needs it. He is no longer the man you saw and he has atoned for it many times over  by putting more than his life at stake to protect many lives in addition to yours and your friends." Dumbledore looked grave in a way Harry had never seen him before. "It's easy to utter words of forgiving unknowing, but they only become relevant when they are meant despite knowing the truth."

For a second Hermione's gaze fell on her husband a thousand emotions battling on her features but then she only shook her head and looked away.

"I can't. Not right now. Not knowing what he said, he- he could never love a mu- someone like-…."  Too many emotions hit Hermione like an avalanche of ice, fire, and stones.  Her logic systems shut down and her  head pounded like a million jack hammers.  She had to get away.…." She got up and ran from the room with tears in her eyes. Harry, Ron, and Minerva started to follow her, but Dumbledore held up his hands to stop them.

Minerva urgently pleaded, "Albus, we need to follow her!" 

Dumbledore shook his head. "She needs time to think and she can only do so alone. Maybe later." Turning around to his Potions Master he placed a hand on his shoulder. "She will come around Severus. Give her time."

Looking up he sneered bitterly with ice covering up the fragile warmth in his heart, because he didn't want to think about or feel what he may have lost- the sharp empty pain like a cold knife ripping thorough his chest was too great. "Maybe she shouldn't. Maybe this is the hell on earth I so deserve." He swirled around and left the room to his lab not wanting to feel any of the pain, the regret, the shame and the sorrow but knowing all too well that he would have to sooner or later.  

Harry and Ron looked utterly dumbstruck at their Headmaster and Head of House.   The pair of friends shared a short glance but knowing there was nothing to do right now they silently left the room not uttering one more word. 

Harry wondered what Hermione had seen that made her so distrought over her husband and truth be told while he had never liked the Potions Master tonight for the first time he had felt like they could be in the same room and not kill each other. He hadn't been nice but Harry never expected that; he had not uttered one insult, not taken any house points and even showed honest interest in his chess skills. Uusally it was his bushy-haired friend who defended the Head of Slytherin but now it seemed she had changed her mind.

Ron shuffled next to him and looked as if he wanted to say something but then thought better of it. Turning around they headed towards their common room Harry being acutely aware that again he had aged years and feeling the weight of this new found knowledge. 

_I was suffering from a flue while writing some of this so please accept my apologies for any mistakes because of too much coffein in the mediaction. _


	16. 16 Confrontations

_This was a particularly difficult chapter to write, for many reasons and I am quite happy with the way it looks now. Much of that is due to my wonderful editor Carrie, who gets me back on the right track and she scolds me where it is necessary. As always, read and review._

**16. [ Confrontations ] **

The astronomy tower was dark except for the light provided from the quarter moon set low on the horizon, and the cold October night air breezing through the telescope guides caused shivers to go through her body. Hunching down on the floor next to one of the windows, pulling her school robes around her petite trembling frame, Hermione stared into the diamond dotted sky wondering to God why all this emotional torture was happening and if she could ever face Severus again after seeing his atrocities.

Still punch drunk from the emotional reeling, her logical faculties slowly began recovering as the cold numbed her senses.  She knew he was an active Death Eater from time spent with the Order, knew he probably committed horrible offences and at times she honestly wondered what he had been like back in the past, if he really had shared Salazar Slytherin's sentiments about muggleborns or if he enjoyed torturing somebody without any remorse or mercy. Now she knew the answer and while that made her feel she had accomplished something, solving a riddle, she wished she'd never gained the knowledge She had never understood the saying that "ignorance is bliss" but right now leaning against the cold stone wall she understood the meaning.

Hermione Granger, the little know-it-all, the lover of learning and passionate resident of the library severely detested her newly ill-gained information- she was sure if Draco Malfoy were there he'd be flashing an evil grin...

Sighing she moved a bit to prevent her legs from becoming numb and let her hair fall over her eyes.  Dumbledore was right- she had uttered words without knowing what they meant, had offered forgiveness when in reality she had no idea what they were for. Tonight had proven that she wasn't able to simply overlook his past and accept graciously the fact that he was no better than a Malfoy, that he had revelled in blood, and killed without mercy.

But a wrenching pain in her heart told her that it was more his muttered insult against her, against muggleborn witches, the way he had detested ever falling in love with her, that caused the cold empty aching in her chest. It sounded horrible, even to her, but it wasn't Zachary's death but Severus' biting commentary about her, about mudbloods, that was causing her pain. What if he never changed his mind about her? What if he had simply adapted to a life with her knowing that he had no other choice? What if he was incapable of loving her, because the truth, cold as the October night, revealed he never said those words?  She just rolled on the floor staring up at the sky through teary eyes wishing she could die, it would end the hurt, despair, and emptiness.  

_Can I live without him? Would it matter really? I could simply return to the Gryffindor tower and forget about the whole bloody mess and damn the stupid prophecy. I could trea himt as if nothing had happened, with respect and politeness staying detached from him.  Can I really do this? _

_No Grange,r I don't think you can. That would have been possible two weeks ago but not now. You glimpsed into his soul for too damn long and he is a part of you now. Damit, I am not that scared little girl from __Grimauld Place__! I can't go back. Not if it means leaving him._

She wanted to come to terms with his past, wanted to understand, wanted the chance to find out if he had changed and how. She wanted a life-time chance of getting to know the man that had been nothing more than a professor for her until this year but now she realized was essential for her happiness.

All in a sudden she sat up and her face set in stony determination. She had to find a way to add to the miserable knowledge store that was Severus' past, maybe then she would be able to understand him. If one piece of information doesn't make you any wiser then gain more. It was hardly fair to judge him on one singular event from his past, so she would learn more. But how?

"Maybe I can help you." The rich melancholy feminine voice was soft and deep, its directness suggested that it was used to commanding, that it used to give advice, and people listened to it.

Looking up Hermione groaned at the sight of another ghost, a woman sitting down across from her on the stone floor her legs tugged under and dressed in a floor length flowing emerald green robe, covering her completely with the exception of her bare feet. The translucent white cream coloured skin shining via the reflection of the October quarter moon. Her hair was shiny, long, and black as crows' feathers without any curl.  The hair was almost down to her waist, and floated eerily like it was totally free from the affects of gravity, like she was underwater.  Her face was not beautiful but classical like a Greek statue of Athena with strong features and a slightly hooked nose, which gave away her family origin. 

The ghost's deep forest green eyes glittered with amusement as her mouth moulded into a sardonic smile belying the secrets that it contained. Her age was hard to guess, some wrinkles in her face gave away that she was probably in her late forties and the precious jewellery foretold her wealth.

"Why are you haunting me? Are you a Snape? " Hermione looked tired. So far she not met any of Severus' relatives and was eager to correct that but she didn't trust ghosts anymore since she had met that stupid Slytherin bastard in the dungeons.

"Yes, I am a Snape as are you, my dear." She answered and her eyes crinkled into a thousand lines as she smiled honestly pleased herself. "I am delighted to meet you finally after all these years, Hermione and I understand that I have to explain some matters. But first I think we should go and visit Severus."

Hermione crossed her arms and frowned. "I am not ready to talk with him yet, I need more time to think it all through."

"This is not about thinking or choice, things of the heart are not subject to the rules of logic. Severus has gone so deep into the depths of sorrow and is extremely upset the way events have out played and I have no idea what he is going to do now." the ghost sounded truthfully worried.

"Then why don't you go and talk with him. I am way to angry to face him after all of what I've seen and heard.  I don't know how to deal with any of this." 

The woman shook her head and smiled sadly. "I wish I could my dear but I am a ghost, an apparition bound only to you. I must follow you with no choice and I can't leave here without you."

Hermione stared curiously as the elder lady got up and floated two feet above the ground chuckling.

She returned to the floor and stepped to the tiny girl gripping her shoulder with surprising strength. "Listen to me, I am not supposed to tell you about the prophecy but I don't assume that Albus is going to keep his part of the bargain so I will simply bend the rules to my liking. If you do not leave here immediately and look for your husband than you might never have this chance again. Men are not very rational beings." She sighed. "Especially Snape men when it comes to emotions."

Confused Hermione stared at her and then she felt the necklace, which had been cold, and dead since she had left her bedroom come alive again under her touch. The stone was now bright almost like moonstone and burnt hot against her skin.  _He's in pain_.

"He is hurting Hermione and what he needs is somebody convincing him that he is not an evil person. And he is not- I give you my word as a Snape." Forest green eyes bored into amber ones. "He has faltered and showed bad judgement, but he is a good man inside. He loves you even though he may never be able to tell you this being the stubborn bastard that he is, but right now only you can lead him away from the darkness he is falling victim to right now. Once in his life, he was hurting horribly and he turned to the dark side for comfort because none was available anyplace else, and tonight might prove as dangerous as then. Don't let this happen to him; don't let him go now that you have come so far."  The ghost pleaded, almost too prideful to ask for help.

Wanting to ask a thousand questions but understanding the urgency in the woman's voice Hermione turned and headed out of the room. She had to find him before it was too late.

» » » » » » » » »

„I don't understand it Harry. " Ron looked utterly shocked and helpless as he sat in the scarlet armchair curled up like a little child his red hair a mess.

It was the first thing that was said since they had returned here two hours ago and so far both had preferred to look into the flickering fire. Harry had played with Neville's Rememberall that they boy had obviously forgotten in here. _Wonder if the Rememberall will be able to make him aware that he forgot it?_

"Me neither." Harry's voice sounded as glum as Ron's and he sighed. "I mean a week ago it wouldn't have mattered, honestly. I hated Snape, he detested me, took house points, gave detentions and all was fine, happy, and normal."

"Exactly." Ron got up and paced in the deserted common room. "I mean it was as it was supposed to be. We are not supposed to like Snape or even feel any kind of positive feeling towards him but here we are!"

Rubbing his head tiredly Harry couldn't help but grin. "What are we really upset about, Ron? That something happened between Snape and Hermione or that we actually begin to like him?"

"Both I think." Ron shuffled as he stood by one of the windows. "Really, at the beginning of this summer if somebody had told me that Hermione would be married to Snape before the new school year began I would had them transported to St. Mungos in an instant. But now, all in a sudden, it makes perfect sense, I have seen them together and I came to understand. It's just not fair!  What a bloody confusing mess this all is"

"In what sense?" Harry leaned his head against a pillow and realized how drowsy he was.

Ron spun around and put his hands in his pockets almost looking like he wanted to cry. "Snape is a bad guy, you know. We always assumed that while he was working for the Order that even now he was working secretly for you-know-who. And now that is all trashed."

Harry knew the feeling all too well. Maybe for him it didn't come as quite such a shock to understand that the bad guys were not always the ones aiming for your life and the good ones were not always saving the day. It had been the same in his first year. All the time he had suspected Snape of searching for the Philosopher's Stone and that sure knowledge had blinded him from even considering Quirrel as a suspect. In his second year Lockhart had seemed like a hero to some of his schoolmates but in the end he had been nothing but a lying coward and cheat, who'd been willing to use memory charms to prevent them from destroying his public image. Sirius, and even thinking of him hurt, had been a suspected mass murderer until it turned out he was not guilty. This constant shifting of good and evil was unsettling in itself and Harry could feel Ron's confusion as if it was his own. 

Getting up he gently placed his hand on the boy's arm. "It will get better with time."

Looking up Ron smiled thinly. "But not easier, huh?"

Shaking his head the dark-haired boy returned the smile. "No, not really. But I think in this we should not interfere. Hermione will come around I am sure of that. And we can trust Dumbledore to keep an eye on them both." Pulling back his hand he frowned. "However, I have trouble accepting that I almost liked Snape this evening."

"Me too. It was disgusting, really. He should have taken house points to make it easier for us. I mean honestly, how did he expect us to deal with him while he was not sneering? He could at least have given us a detention, don't you think?"

Chuckling Harry slumped down in his armchair. "I am sure to mention that to Hermione next time I see her."

» » » » » » » » » »

"You are not sticking to the rules, Bloodwen." Salazar raged as he paced the large throne room. The dark-haired woman sat in a corner and inspected her manicured nails feigning utter boredom.

"I have no idea what you are ranting about my dear old friend. It's not as if anybody else does. You've influenced the turn of events as you've seen fit. Really," she made a soft tsk-sound, "You really had to shock her, didn't you, my love." In the corner of her eye she saw the intensified anger as she used the endearment. Oh yes, he remembered. It gave no little satisfaction to bathe in her glory of times gone by.

"I have absolutely no idea what you mean." He crossed his arms as if in defence.

She got up standing face to face with him, with her brows furrowed. "My dear Salazar, don't think for one moment that I didn't hear you alter the words in our spell to make her see this particular scene first. Thought the mudblood insult would undo her but I chose to correct that." She shook her head in silent amusement. "You are doing it again."

"Doing what." He was livid now.

"Underestimating a female creature. True, the girl is muggleborn and I have my own resentments against them, but she is strong at heart and very intelligent. I wouldn't recommend messing around with her my dear, you might get burned."

He snorted and indicated with a wave of his hand that this conversation was closed. 

"As always when proven to be wrong he simply refuses to talk about it anymore. Fine with me." she chuckled and sat down in her chair again once again tending to her nails and pretending to be bored. "Then let's wait, shall we?"

» » » » » » » » » »

The dungeons were dark, moist and depressing as usual and Remus Lupin tried to shake off the feeling of doom as he climbed down the last set of stairs to the hallway and started down the passageway to Snape's private lab where he, according to Albus Dumbledore, had been cloistered all day buried in experiments and working non-stop on some wolfsbane potion. Sure, they were almost out of stock these days but the last full moon had been a week ago so there would be plenty of time to brew some new potion during the next few weeks. It was surely not altruism that kept Snape in his office all day but rather a weak attempt to avoid his problems and the more likely feelings of failure and shame. 

Sighing he softly knocked on the office door and when no answer came, went inside all the time trying to ready himself for a curse being thrown at him. There was no anticipating Snape when he was in these sullen moods and he could very vividly remember one occasion where Snape had turned him into a ferret after a nasty argument with Sirius, although Remus hadn't uttered one word back then. Snape was a superb spell caster, he knew more Dark Arts spells than anybody Lupin knew and he was not hesitant to use the ones he mastered. Snape was difficult to argue with, a feared enemy and usually he would have preferred to be anywhere but here. In the end it had been the headmaster's choice to send him once more to deal with Snape's rotten disposition. Lupin cursed his bad luck in things like this.

But the office was empty with no sign of Snape anywhere and he carefully stepped closer to the desk trying to figure out where Snape's lab was. He had visited only once because it wasn't his favourite place in the world and he knew the entrance was hidden with formidable wards that Lupin doubted even Albus could break them. If there was one thing you could say about Snape is he was utterly paranoid, but maybe that's what you get for working as a double spy. Snape surely had been in dark company all his life that promoted feelings of distrust and betrayal, Lupin thought again, feeling a strange sort of compassion for the Potions Master. His life had been never easy and as much as he tried to in his times he had never felt the same kind of hatred towards the greasy Slytherin as James and Sirius had. 

And look where they are today…

The thought came unbidden and he turned towards the shelves with all kinds of creatures trapped into small glass vials which still filled him with disgust and a strange feeling of voyeurism. He wondered for the hundredth time how Snape could spend here so much time and realized that he hadn't changed a thing when he took this office from his predecessor Amelia Bloodwill who had been Potions Mistress during his school years here. Like so many people she was dead already, having been killed during the first rising of Voldemort as she opposed him openly. She had been a decent Slytherin with strong morals and a strange code of honour. 

Finally remembering that there was a mirror in the room to contact a person in the lab he walked over to a small wooden frame with a glittering mirror inside and softly muttered a calming "Just get it over with."

Stepping in front of the mirror he knocked against it two times. "Severus?"

Nothing. Either he wasn't in there or he chose to ignore him. Probably the latter, considering Severus' general attitude towards people.

"Albus sent me Severus, and he wants me to deliver a message to you personally."

A second the silence continued and then a soft green light illuminated a hidden door in one of the stone walls and as he approached the place, the two wings of the door opened magically to reveal a surprising big room filled with cauldrons and vials, jars full of the strangest content, plants, herbs and smashed animal limbs combined with all kinds of magical objects, enchanted mirrors, talking chandeliers and moving statues. During his last visit this place had simply stunned him and this time it was not different.

A thick vapour hang over one cauldron and the tall figure of Severus Snape stood hunched over it carefully filling some liquid into the potion using a small pipette and all the while stirring with his other hand. It smelled sweet in the room and Remus remembered Severus telling him that this was a common trait of a correct brewed wolfsbane potion near its completion. After what seemed like two minutes Severus rose and placed a small vial on the table while reducing the flame to let the potion smother and turned to the other man obviously not pleased to have been disturbed.

"Yes." His voice was short and impolite and would have scared people away who didn't know him as well as Remus who stayed calm and smiled honestly.

"You are almost finished, my friend." 

The dark man stared at him and then nodded curtly as if afraid to give too much away. "What message are you supposed to deliver, Remus?"

The werewolf leaned against a table watching as Severus moved some ingredients away. "Albus wants to see you tonight at dinner. No excuses, his exact words."

Returning from of the walk-in cabinets Severus frowned. "I am inconsolable but I won't make it; I am busy here." He took another glass and measured some yellow powder into another vial.

"With what? Avoiding Hermione?"

He saw the way he flinched but then his face was impassive again. "No, I am busy brewing some vital potions here like your wolfsbane potion. I have no time for nonsense like dinner."

Placing one hand on his arm and stilling his movement of filling the powder into the cauldron Remus gently admonished.

"You can lie to whomever you want to Severus but I once ran from my fate as well when I wasn't accepted after I graduated from Hogwarts, me being a werewolf. I recognize the signs of such a race."

Angrily freeing his arm Severus with surprising care filled the powder into the simmering potion. "I am doing no such thing. As I said I am brewing a potion here…"

"Hermione will come around. She needs some time, that's all. It's not an easy thing to deal with the events she had to see."

Severus turned around clearly fuming and advancing threateningly, sticking his wand in Lupin's face. "Listen Remus, when I want your consolation I shall ask for it. But right now I would recommend for you to leave immediately and not bother me any further. I unlike others have important duties to attend to and no time for inane chatter."

Clearly indicating that this talk was finished he turned around and disappeared into another cabinet. For a moment Lupin stared at his vacated space and then left the lab through the office. 

» » » » » » » » » »

Returning two minutes later Severus sat down on a chair silently contemplating whether he could still pretend that things last night had never happened but Lupin had destroyed that enjoyable bubble in time he had created to prevent himself from thinking about his now completely ruined relationship with Hermione. Strange, how over the course of a year he couldn't have cared less if Hermione Granger, the little know-it-all, liked him or not, trusted him or not, or believed him to be a good person. Now it made all the difference there was. Nobody in all his life had cared for him much, not his schoolmates, not his parents, to whom he was a liability and a disgrace. Only Albus Dumbledore had seen through him even after he had confessed all his sins as a true and committed Death Eater; he had looked at him with sympathy and had offered a path out of this mess besides suicide. 

Sirius had always told him last year in London that one day his past would catch up to him and then he couldn't hide any longer behind his mask of the spy, the redeemed monster, the souled vampire. He had predicted that he would loose everything then, all the respect her had garnered over the years would be lost by the memories leaving him alone and tainted. Curious how that described his current state of mind and the way he felt empty inside , in a deserted crypt without even his own students to keep him company. For a second, tears of anger and loss burned in his eyes but he rubbed them away with his sleeve. He would not turn into a self-pitying fool now, not when the entire world thought he already was. He would carry on with the same bitterness as he had always carried through all the catastrophes that were his life, purging out all emotions inside him and simply turning to the familiar feelings of violence and anger.

His eyes viewed the chain around his arm and he angrily began to assault it with every unlock spell he could think of but of course it resisted every attempt to expunge this nasty little token of the damned wedding he had been forced into without any consent. After trying the last spell he could think of he threw his wand against one shelf hearing it clatter to the floor, smashing one jar against the floor. The thought of simply destroying things he had always treasured was giving him a strange kind of relief. He got up and took the cauldron with the newly brewed potion from the fire and smashed it into one of the walls making most of the shelves there crash down and a sour odour like formaldehyde, vinegar, and sulphur filled the room. Taking a chair he stepped to the opposite wall clearing another shelf of vials and glasses revelling in the shrill sounds of glass breaking. Shattering the last bits of his lab with a cauldron he sunk down against the door to his office cupping his face with his hands. 

At least now his environment felt the same as his inside- thrashed and shattered. Naturally tears wouldn't come; his father had used the cruciatus curse every time he had cried with pain or loss and therefore made it impossible for him to shed tears at all. The emptiness felt like it was consuming him and after he extinguished the fire the warmth was gone leaving only the cold and damp. Sitting in complete darkness he felt his life falling to pieces, the last part he had still treasured and he was utterly helpless to do anything to stop its destruction. Getting up he decided to do the last thing that made sense here and drink himself numb.

» » » » » » » » » » »

 The living room was in pitch black as she arrived there panting from running all the way. She tried to scan the room but could only rely on the feeling and the soft glow of the necklace that provided barely enough illumination to see. She detected his sunken figure in one of the armchairs next to the unlit chimney. Only the slow movement of his wrist as he played with his wand producing little green smoke rings indicated that he was even alive. Her necklace was icy cold and she knew he was in incredible pain. 

"Why are you here?" His voice was slurred a bit around the edges and barely audible and when she saw the half empty bottle of whiskey on the table she knew why. There was a strong smell of a strange mixture of potions.

Fine, exactly what I need. A drunk Snape to talk with.

Carefully approaching him she sat down on the chair on the other side of the small table placing her wand on the wooden surface.

"I am not here to argue", she responded trying to deal with her own confusing mix of emotions. One part of her wanted to run away the other wanted to comfort him. She wasn't sure which part would win.

"Oh, I never thought you came here to argue." He emptied his glass again and poured himself another shot. "I think you made it quite clear when you woke up from your no doubt interesting visit to my past. Actually I am surprised to see that you are not in your little tower with your nice, safe friends by now", was muttered in a raspy voice just above a whisper.

"You are drunk", she sounded tired and quite helpless. All in a sudden he voiced all her insecurities and it didn't feel helpful in any way.

He snorted the volume in his voice increasing. "That bothers you, my dear." His voice dripped with sarcasm and he pointed his wand to a cabinet. "Accio sobrius potion" and a small vial with a bright blue liquid flew out of one of the drawers. He swiftly uncorked it and gulped it down. Smashing the vile against the fireplace he sneered and his voice sounded dark. "See, all taken care of Hermione. I am as sober as you could wish for; I wouldn't want to spoil the fun of telling me what a fantastic death eater I am."

Given the edgy nature of Severus she steeled herself with a calm even voice and addressed him. "That's not logical behaviour from you, Severus. Do you think sparing like this is going to solve anything?" 

"You tell me." He got up and leaned against the wall. "Tell me what you want and I tell you how I am going to react."

She leaned back and stared into his eyes for a moment contemplating why he was behaving in such a manner.

"You really think I am here to tell you I am leaving, aren't you?" 

He laughed maniacally. "No, I am sure you are here to give me a friendly pat on the shoulder and to tell me how proud you are of me." He shook his head as if to clear it, running his hands through his hair, and riveted his dark troubled eyes into hers. "Again I ask you to explain why you are here and I am sure we can deal with it swiftly so that you don't loose any time to move your belongings back to your dormitory."

Inside she was again struck by how wounded he looked in this moment, very likely without him being aware of it. He was in enough pain as it was and he sure as hell didn't need her to add to that. He regretted his deeds, she was sure of it and they had to talk about a lot of things one day but she was pretty sure that day wasn't right now. They had a lifetime for that she supposed.

"Fine, if that is the way you want to deal with it." She mustered all her Gryffindor courage and approached him so that she stood mere millimetres from him staring into his troubled eyes. She didn't miss his flinching when her hand brushed his. "I won't lie to you, what I saw scared me but I came to a realization. While you killing somebody was a terrible thing to see it was more a comment about me you made that hurt the most. You said that all you could ever feel for a mudblood would be hate and disgust. That shocked me so much and that is what I want to talk about tonight. The rest is history and Professor Dumbledore was right about one thing: I already offered forgiveness and I won't take that offer back now."

He stared at her for a moment and then incredible pain was in his eyes. "You saw Zachary's death then, all of it."

She nodded and refused to touch him. He had to make her fears disappear first, had to utter words she longed to hear.

He sighed and fixed his gaze above her. "I was ordered to kill him back then. He had worked as a spy for Albus and was found out. I hated him with all my heart back then. He was one of my best friends and he had lied to me the whole time. I couldn't understand back then his reasons and quite frankly I didn't care much. I simply followed orders and I killed him." He directed his gaze to her face again. "You don't really think that I still feel that was about muggleborns do you?"

She shrugged not knowing what to say and was surprised when he hesitantly put one arm on her shoulder. "I was young, foolish and not sure about my place in the world. I shared prejudices without any thinking of my own and I long since lost those. I know you are a brilliant witch and you deserve more than anybody else I know to be part of the wizarding world no matter what people like Malfoy say." He chuckled dryly. "I must say, his prediction came true indeed."

She frowned. "What prediction?

"You were there. Can't you remember?" He gently moved his hand and stroked her neck. "That one day a girl would mean more to me than my life, more to me than the world. And he was true, for I am feeling like that right now."

She moved into his caress and accepted the unspoken apology. Sighing she did what she had wanted to do all the while and embraced him snuggling her face into his robes. "Thank you."

He smiled awkwardly. "You are welcome." 

For a moment they stayed like this until he gently detangled her from his body. "I can't promise I will be any easier to live with tomorrow or that I won't get angry for no reason at all but I promise that I will never forget your graciousness tonight."

Hermione's face brightened. "Wouldn't be the same living with you if you changed in that aspect." She chuckled. "By the way I think you quite undid Harry and Ron enough with your politeness tonight. They couldn't take any more I am afraid."

He sneered not fooling her for one second. "Insufferable Gryffindors, your friends."

She laughed out loud and gently took his hand in hers. "Promise me to give them a detention tomorrow so that their world is right again."

He snorted. "As you please my lady. As you please."

» » » » » » » » » » »

Bloodwen smiled softly as she watched the couple in the enchanted mirror as they joked with each other. It was good to see that love could indeed blossom in an icy climate like this and even so she was a mudblood she was what Severus needed in this moment. Who was she to argue then?

"You lost this round Salazar." She raised her eyebrow and couldn't hide the amusement from her voice. "It's Albus' turn now and it's for us to watch like he did in ours."

He simply snorted and closed his eyes. 

_Men, they could never lose it seemed. _

_The next part is in work right now and it will be lighter with some humour in it to not scare the fluff-humour lovers away. The angst-junkies can't complain here anyway! _


	17. 17 Interlude

_As promised this is lighter with the exception of the last scene. To give all of you a break from the angst. Some talks that have to be held to get us ready for the next chapter. As always read and review and this chapter was edited by Carrie._

**17. [ Interlude ]**

The next morning found Hermione in her own bed awakening after a  rare refreshing sleep and she got up to take a warm shower to start the day. As she passed a huge mirror in the bathroom she glimpsed herself, stopping to gaze at her image. She had definitely changed in her appearance looking more likethan a woman than girl these days. Her hips that had always been slim and boyish now showed some curves slimming in the waist and her boobs had definitlydefinitely grown. No longer small pecks but the size of peaches now and almost in wonder she touched the skin there amazed that she had never cared enough to notice the difference till now. The same was true for her male friends  judging from the way Harry, Ron and even Severus acted around her; completely oblivious of her growing needs to be recognized as more than just the girl who had all the answers.

Especially Severus obviously didn't notice any of these changes. He always treated her with respect and sometimes even tenderness, but not like he really felt anything beyondsides platonic affection for her. He now and then touched her shoulders or even awkwardly hugged her and except for the time after their first argument, he had never kissed her. Well, apart from that one time that prompted the current situation she thought, looking at the chain around her wrist. She forgot it most of the time but right now she studied it carefully and noticed a strange structure on it- an alien strange pattern of symbols, most likely runes she had never seen before. Some of them reminded her of things she had seen beforeonce- most likely in a book-  but all in all it was too different to tell for sure. She took a mental note to ask Severus whether he knew anything about theise runes and what they meant. 

 She stepped under the warm shower spray and began to soap up feeling oddly aware of her body for the first time ever and a strange tingelingtingling spread through her limbs from the fleshpoint she was touching. Goosebumps appeared out of nowhere and to her utter surprise a hot dampness could be felt between her legs; and her breath quickened as she imagined long, white and, strong fingers kneading her body in all the private places and she could almost hear his silken voice as he whispered softly into her ear what he was going to do with her…

The stone in the necklace had turned blood red all in a sudden and and the material felt burning hot against her skin as she leaned against the cool tiles for support wanting her heartbeat to return to a normal pace but failing miserably.

_Bad Hermione, don't think those thoughts about your husband. He doesn't see you that way, you are nothing more but a child to him. Shaking her head she tried to ban the disturbing thoughts her awakened body demanded her to think from her head, and turning on a blast of cold water was supposed to do the trick._

To no avail as the pleasant senarioscenario of her husband had already invaded her mind, lingering there. Last night he had obviously detested the thought of her leaving but then insisted on her sleeping alone in _her_ room which had hurt on a level she didn't want to think about.

_Now you know why, because your body has turned into a traitor over night._

In all honesty she would have preferred to stay in his company, to cuddle up to his warm body as she had back then after the apparition of his father had attacked him. He had been both comfort and guilty pleasure as she had felt him with her slowly awakening body and she had wanted more contact, had wanted to embrace him with all her being. But he said he hadn't been ready so far, as he hadn't been when she had kissed him in the morning after that fateful night. Or maybe he wasn't attracted to her, maybe he wasn't pleased by her appearance or maybe he preferred blondes…

Stepping out of the shower she cast a drying spell and cleared her mind, relieved the necklace hads returned to its emerald colorcolour and a bearable temperature now that her thoughts were no longer invaded by sensual pictures of her husband caressing her and making her hot in all the right places…

_Stop! Stop thinking these thoughts, this road leads to badness!_

Maybe she could talk about it with Ginny? Or maybe not since she had no idea how to address the issue. 

Maybe something along the line of  "Ginny, you see I am kind of attracted to Professor Snape and wonder why he never tried to touch me in any way when I am all hot and excited when he is around? Any advice you have?"

She groaned and determinately began to dress. _Oh yes, that would go over well._ Poor Ginny would faint, or be sick. No, she had to find somebody else to talk to, somebody who knew what she was talking about. That black-haired ghost from last night came to mind but she didn't even know her name. 

Deciding to think about that some more tonight she stepped into the living room and to her surprise found Severus already sitting at the chimney reading the _Daily Prophet_. Breakfast was already served and the aroma of fresh baked bread filled the room .  smelling deliciously as she stepped nearer and for a moment it struck her how normal this looked:. tThe glasses of pumpkin juice, the rustling sound of the newpapernewspaper and the faint scent of her husband that she had come to recognize over the last weeks as being uniquely him. Suddenly the thought of waking up like this was a pleasing idea, something she would look forward to all her life.

"Good morning, Hermione." He had lowered the newspaper gazing into her eyes with a grin on his face that appeared horrificlyhorrifically knowing. One raised eye brow and the short glance in the direction of her necklace made her blush furiously as she remembered that he had probably felt her physical reaction in the shower. "Had a nice shower?"

_Oh godessgoddess, he knows.  Could the ground please open up and swallow me?_

She mumbled something unintelligible and poured herself a cup of tea avoiding eye contact, and blushing as thoughts from the shower started to emerge again and the necklace began to warm up. Thankfully when she looked up again after buttering her toast he had disappeared behind the paper again. Gratefully she continued her breakfast and was able to calm down a bit before he addressed her again from his position behind the _Prophet._

"I have to brew something wolfsbane potion this afternoon since I had a slight accident with an almost finished cauldron yesterday. Maybe, if you have no other plans you could assist me with the procedure to prevent any further … ehm accidents." 

She nodded and took another sip from her tea. "I'd love to. I have to finish my assignment for transfiguration first but then I am all yours."

He raised his brow and a calculating look crossed his features, which made her blush even more furiously from the heat she felt rising within and she remembered with horror that Severus was an excellent legilimens. _He knows, Merlin he knows all of what you are thinking!_

_Bloody brilliant. Why do I say things like that? And why can he do this to me with just a look and the resonance of his voice? Stop thinking Hermione! Just stop thinking about the shower or strong hands or tingling feelings…_

He cleared his throat and placed the paper on the table averting his eyes again. "Well, that settles it then. If you could accompany me in my private lab as soon as possible, other wise I will need to start without you."

She nodded and saw him standing up carefully stretching his limbs all the while giving his wife an excellent view of his butt, and the way the muscles and sinews moved beneath his skin and she couldn't prevent a soft whimper as she felt the necklace flaring to life again. 

He froze and turned around gazing into her brown wide eyes and for a second she thought he would say something, anything to make her feel better, to simply address the issue but he averted his eyes and nodded curtly.

"I have to go now, another staff meeting." His voice sounded strained and he was at the door in no time at all. "We see each other at lunch?" Without waiting for an answer he almost rushed from the room and banged the door behind him.

"Sure.", she whispered and put her face in her hands groaning. This wasn't good in any way. This was bad, more than bad. She was doomed. She would not, could not endure more of this, not when he refused to acknowledge the fact that she needed him in more ways than a protector. And how was she supposed to stand classes when all she could think of was they sexy way her husband looked when he stretched his limbs?

» » » » » » » » » »

"Mrs Snape."

Hermione turned around still having trouble reacting to her new name and saw Professor McGonagall approaching her through the classroom her green robes billowing behind her, her hat at the same jaunty angle.

_Wonder if she copied that from Severus?_

"Yes Professor?" Hermione smiled warmly and placed the large pile of books she had gotten from the library earlier on a desk again.

Minerva gently placed a hand on the girl's shoulder and concern crept into her voice as she asked: "Are you alright, Mrs Snape? You looked very shocked last night and I was a tad worried about you." Her strained voice indicated however that there was more to it than she let on.

"I am fine, Professor. Honestly I am. Severus and I talked about things last night and matters are settled between us now." 

Minerva looked relieved and a wan smile appeared on her face. "I am very relieved to hear that and I hope that Severus treats you in a correct manner."

Hermione gulped but nodded. "Yes he does. Truly he is showing his best behaviour around me all the time and stays the perfect gentleman." She couldn't hide the disappointment from her voice.

Minerva chuckled with an understanding of many years of life. "Well, that's good to hear my dear." She raised a brow in the same manner as Severus had this morning. "Or isn't it?"

Again Hermione felt a hot blush creeping up her cheeks. "Pardon?"

"Oh, I am just wondering whether that polite and genteel behaviour of my treasured colleague is your taste or not." Honest amusement appeared on her face as she saw the way Hermione shuffled with obvious embarrassment. But then understanding the girl's need for comfort she tipped her head up. "You are very young Hermione and in all likelihood he is only wishing to protect you from anything you are not prepared for. I don't believe he dislikes you, and that is not what is keeping him from getting closer to you.." Putting aside her own opinion on these matters and the strong negative feelings toward Severus concerning the well-being of her prime student she smiled warmly and softened her voice even more. "I am your head of house and as such it is one of my duties to advivce you in any matters that arise so if you ever feel the need to talk about certain topics, please know that my door is always open for you."

Hermione stared into her teacher's face and saw the warmth there. "Thank you", she muttered and taking her books she hurried out of the door leaving a frowning head of house behind. She would have to talk with Albus about this or she would never surviverprise another howler fromby Molly Weasley.

» » » » » » » » » 

The staff meetings were usually held in Dumbledore's office and only on very rare occasions was everybody present there. Glancing around Severus noticed that Madame Sprout, Remus Lupin, Professor Vector, Professor TrelwaneyTrelawney and Hagrid were missing and he fervently wished for this stifilingstifling boredom to be over already. At the moment Flitwick was droning on about problems in his Ravenclaw house and Severus knew that sooner or later it would all turn into a round of Slytherin bashing  with him being the one responsible for the complete lack of his student's restraint.  

Mentally groaning with the beginnings of a headache, he sunk lower in his chair trying to drown out the little man's voice that had turned whiny now. Albus insisted that he was present at every single staff meeting and it seemed that the headmaster was the only one enjoying his suffering through all these bloody meetings. Dumbledore  sat behind his desk, his blue eyes twinkling over his half-moon spectacles and nodded from time to time in understanding. Minerva sat in another corner and was staring ahead with a strange smile on her face, like she had some secret she was dying to tell. 

_Wonder what's wrong with this conniving woman now? At least she hasn't addressed me yet, I should feel lucky indeed._

"Albus, if I may bring up another issue I think we should talk about?"

The headmaster nodded and Severus couldn't suppress a groan. Minerva turned to him with a sour smile on her face.

"Don't worry Severus, you can start taking off points and giving out detentions in five minutes." She put on her own glasses and looked at a piece of paper in her lap. "As you all know Halloween is approaching and I might remind all you that last year we didn't have a ball to mark the occasion because Severus used his veto." Her face clearly indicated how much she despised the man because of that. "This year we will have a ball however no matter how much our grumpy Slytherin protests." She flashed him an evil smirk and leaned back in satisfaction of a job well done. "That's it so far. I and Madame Sprout will be responsible for planning the occasion while Filius and Hootch will help with the decorations. All the others have agreed to chaperone at the ball, - including _you_ Severus." She did not offer that last statement as a choice.

"Minerva, you know damn well why I veto Halloween balls" Severus  scowled, knowing the Dark Lord often scheduled raids on Halloween.  The Dark Lords His sick sense of humorhumour thought it funny to attack Muggles on Halloween, a holiday that celebrates death and all things dark with the mock sense of protection against the inevitable. 

Forcing his face into an icy smile he nodded internally cursing. _Great, just great Minerva! As a spy for the Order of the __Phoenix__ and Head of the house of Slytherin I have to chaperone a bunch of hormonal-driven teenagers at a ball. I'll get the crucaituscruciatus if I am called by the Dark Lord, and late. But what would be new about this?this? I will He get one for something else if the Dark Lord feelselt playful._

"Very well then, I think that was all. If anybody wants to talk about anything in private I am available the whole morning." The headmaster's face was set into an excited smile as he stood dismissing the teachers.

Before anybody could approach him and talk him into more ridiculous things Severus left the office silently wishing for Minerva to rot in hell for several centuries.

_And maybe I can visit her there to gloat when my own time there is over!_

» » » » » » » » » » 

After the hundredth concerned glance from Harry and the thousandth stupid joke from Ron Hermione pulled the boys with her into an empty classroom and closed the door with a loud bang. Turning into their direction she shortly prayed for all the patience she could muster and through gritted teeth she hissed: " What's wrong with you two?"

Harry stared at her menacing figure in wonder while Ron shuffled with his feet all the while trying to not feel impressed. To no avail as she addressed him directly in a tone he knew all too well from his mother.

"Ronald Weasley, what do you have to say for yourself?"

He looked up and flinched when her blazing eyes met his instantly averting his look.

"It is all Harry's fault, Mione!" His voice sounded desperate but he couldn't care. He knew her temper, how she could become when she was pissed and quite frankly it scared him how much she looked like Snape right now. _Maybe he gave her lessons._

Harry looked into the redhead's direction angrily and his look said clearly '_later'. Turning to his friend he tried to decide which way to phrase his question. He had no desire to face her throwing a tantrum and he knew how Hermione could be if provoked._

"Ehm, you see Mione, we were simply worried about you." He hesitated and then rushed on. "Yesterday scared us and then there was Snape being all _nice_ and not taking any points and then you awoke from whatever and you got angry at him and then you left and we…"

"Stop!" She sighed and softened her voice. "I understand your concerns but I am okay."

At their incredulous looks she furrowed her brows. "Since when are you so worried about me and Severus?"

Harry gulped as she mentioned the Potions Master. _Simply ignore it, don't think about what the phrase 'me and Severus' implies._ "Mione, we are your friends and since we can't change what has happened we just have to accept and live with it." He smiled gently and tentatively touched her arm. "We love you and whatever makes you happy, won't have us arguing against it. And if that someone is Snape-" He sighed and prayed that his father may forgive him. "That's fine with us."

For a second they stood there in silence, in a deserted classroom all three fighting tears of relief that once again things were okay again. The trio had survived many things including Voldemort, a Yule Ball, Quidditch, Umbridge, general bickering and arguing but nothing had ever weighed heavier on their shoulders than this wedding. It wasn't just that it was Snape, the hated Potions Master that was their best friend's husband now but it was a Slytherin, the head of house and general considered the greasy bat by all three. Nobody had commented on it so far but they all had been scared that this was literally the last straw in their friendship.

"I guess Harry and me can accept Snape as long as he is not too nasty." Ron rubbed his temple and grinned. "Maybe we won't get as many detentions as before. We could actually gain something from this." He sounded hopeful.

Hermione smiled shortly trying to imagine Snape being polite and nice to the two boys and chuckled. It would be a sight to see and Hogwarts would not stop talking about it till they graduated.

"If it eases your mind we made up last night and things are okay again." She admitted.

Harry smiled honestly pleased. "That's great, Mione. He shows some promise actually, you know."

Ron slapped him on the arm playfully. "Don't overdo it Harry. It's still greasy, evil, slimy Snape."

Somewhere inside Hermione knew that while things would not get one bit easier from now on at least she could count her friends in to help her through whatever life made her endure. Looking at her watch she shrieked.

"Come on, we have to hurry or we will be late for Charms!"

Harry and Ron shared a look of that clearly said "So what?" but obediently they followed their friend into the hallway.

» » » » » » » » » » »

Sinking into the uncomfortable chair behind his huge desk in his office Severus groaned with relief. He would have to talk with Albus again about teaching Slytherins and Gryffindors together- it was hell every time. He had the third years and quite frankly they were even more aggressive than Hermione's year.

Smiling as he remembered the morning and the strange emotions he had sensed through the necklace, and her obvious discomfort around him. It wass like she was's nervous around him all the time and he wondered why that was but after he had used his legilimens skills by accident this morning there was really no guessing to be needed. But still the questions remained why she reacted so strongly?. She was normally courageous as hell, as a typical Gryffindor, and she was not easy to intimidate in matters of the mind. Of course matters of the heart was something quite different, it was obvious she wasn't experienced in those.

The same counted for him. He had never courted a lady,  he had never wanted that kind of relationship with anybody but he had to admit, if only to himself, that he had shed more than one thought about having an intimate relationship with her of course always aware that there were many things that requieredrequired of him to stay detached.  But her attractiveness existed on several levels; a brilliant mind combined with the capability to stay silent when working, a huge capacity for forgiving - an attribute of recent importance. Try as he might he couldn't deny that she was, in his eyes, truly beautiful.

He sighed and leaned back in his chair staring at the ceiling. Maybe he had been always too scared to get close to people and he had never trusted enough; always on edge around others, always anticipating a betrayal or an attack. He couldn't link sex with anything good or enjoyable- for him it was abuse and torture and he had never longed for a repeat of that experience again. 

Why was he then even considering these things in regards to Hermione?

» » » » » » » » » »

Dumbledore's office was dimly lit by some candles since outside the cloudy sky didn't let much sunlight lighten the room. He had obviously just read in an old book which still lied on his lap, openly, and he caressed the soft leathery cover with his white, calloused hands.

"What can I do for you Minerva?" Albus leaned back and watched his deputy as she fidgeted with her hands and sat down on her usual chair trying to act nonchalant when Albus already knew why she was here. Sometimes his legilimency skills were usual especially when dealing with an overly concerned womaen whothat worried far too much about things that neither she nor he could control.

Sighing she took off he glasses as if to make things easier with blurring her sight.

"I am worried Albus." Her voice was grave and he mouth was pressed into a thin line.

He nodded as gravely as she all the while inwardly humming a tune. "I see." 

"You see, I know we talked about this…- this wedding already between Hermione and Severus and I understand your reasoning to stay out of itthis but this is just too much! We have to do something!" She got up and did something that usually only Severus did in his office- she paced. "Things are getting out of hand between those two and I know there is a school rule somewhere about matters such as these!"

"What exactly are you talking about my dear? Enlighten an old man who can't follow your thoughts any longer." His eyes still twinkled behind his spectacles as he smiled gently. Their alertness belied every word he said.

"I am talking about the fact that this morning Hermione was disappointed that Severus obviously hasn't touched her in any way beyond their relationship as student and teacher and I had to comfort her which made me feel very uncomfortable myself. And I have seen the hungry gazes that this slimy Slytherin throws her way when he sees her in the hallway on in the great hall. I see the way in which he basically undresses her in front of everybody and I got another howler from Molly last night! By god somebody should tell this woman that these are allowed for students and for students only! I have to do something Albus, I have to or I might go insane!" She sank down in her chair obviously at a loss of what to do next and sighed deeply.

"I can see no such looks Minerva and if you stayedare impartial you could not accuse Severus of these things. He has acted exactly the way in which I advised him to act and he has never touched Mrs Snape Hermione in any way that could be called improper. Maybe house rivalry could be blamed for this but I want you to know that Severus has my full trust." 

He sighed and stroked his beard while staring above her head into his office. "While I understand your concerns my dear and I appreciate the fact that you try to protect Hermione, it is no longer our business. They are married now and as a married couple the school rules no longer affect them in any way." As she wanted to contradict Albus raised his hands in defence. "You know as well as I do that this is a matter where we have no other choice but to stay detached and play our part. You have heard the prophecy with me at the ministry and it would mean sacrificing the wizarding world to the likes of Voldemort if we altered the way things play out. Severus has my full trust and he won't hurt her. As hard as that may seem to believe Minerva, he loves her somewhere inside him and she returns this feeling." He got up and stepped next to her sunken figure on the chair. "I will owl Molly Weasley and explain things to her as much as I can but we cannot interfere in this. The prophecy will come true no matter what we do anyhow."

"But then she will, then she will… -" She stopped not able to say the next words instead cupping her face with her hands.

Albus looked above her through one of the windows into the cloudy sky and sighed. "I know Minerva. But we have to trust fate that she makes the right decisions in this and it will all end well." He touched her arm gently forcing her to look into his eyes. "It's not fate that decides where we are in the end end up but always our decisions and our own intentions. I have absolute trust in those two and so should you."

_All those people who wanted more lemons, well here is your first treat. I am going to include a lot more sexual tension from now on and anybody who feels they can't handle this can mail me and I send an edited version. Please tell me what you think! !_


	18. 18 Of Fire and Passion

_I apologize for the long delay (for me at least) and I can only say that I was unsure how to continue from here. I also want to point out that I am very sorry for any mistakes overlooked in the editing but some of the mistakes weren't in my original document. Till I find out what happened I ask you to kindly overlook incorrect grammar and spelling. Review if you like._

**18. [ Of Fire and Passion  A thing called Sexual Tension ]**

That morning Hermione was very quiet in most of her classes and her thoughts occassionallyoccasionally drifted towards her husband and for the life of her she couldn't stop thinking about the new-found attraction towards Severus and his surprisingly pleasing outward appearance. In the beginning much of her perception had been  warped by the way he had acted around students and Gryffindors in general. ANow after she had glimpsed behind the mask she found an astonishingly kind and gentle man who now had the ability to get her hot and bothered in her classes by just invading her mind, it was both a terrible and wonderfully pleasant distraction.

Almost grateful when she left her last class she decided to skip lunch to get into the   potions lab and prepare things for when he would start working there after lunch. The necklace was still  pink which was due to the fact that she couldn't  control her fantasies and she sighed when she failed to empty her thoughts of anything that he was not supposed to see. She was certain he could see anything he wanted with his legilimens skills and the fact that he simply felt most of her emotions through the necklace whereas he was a complete mystery to her. To bad the necklace didn't provide a visual display of what he felt, it was unfair that she was so clueless about his state of mind and heart."_damn that's so unfair"_.

Stepping into the classroom she tried to remember how to open the lab and after a secondwhile she remembered the password,  and a softly green shimmering door appeared in one stone wall and without hesitation she entered. To her surprise the lab looked different than last time she had been there which granted had been a week ago but nevertheless. Some things were missing, and on one wall behind some spare cauldrons she saw something that resembled an unindentifiedunidentified potion  splattered on the stone wall.

Frowning, she looked around as if to guess what was wrong with the Lab and why she was she feeling a strong but pleasant magical energy reverberating through the room as if somebody had casted powerful spells in here recentyrecently.

"Maybe I can be of help, Miss?" A tinkling voice that jittered a bit startled her out of her thoughts and when she turned towards the source of it, she saw a chandelier hanging from the ceiling. To her alarm it had eyes and a mouth in the middle.  It was made of clear leaded crystals that supported a ring of black enchanted candles, giving a halo effect to its face.

"What are you?" She sounded a tiny bit shocked and curiously approached it. So far she had never encountered an enchanted piece of furniture in all her time at Hogwarts.

"I am a chandelier as you can very well see." He sounded exasperated and his mouth was now pressed into a crystal facet line as if he was really annoyed. "I am currently owned by Severus Snape, potions Master of Hogwarts and Head of the honoured house of Slytherin." 

Hermione supressedsuppressed a grin and nodded seriously. "Pleased to meet you. My name is Hermione Snape and I am Severus' wife."

The chandelier cracked an honestly happy smile, and he raised his voice as he shouted: "Hey everybody, listen- he has managed to get a wife finally after all these years! Welcome Hermione Snape please!" Was she mistaken or did she hear a note of relief in the chandelier's voice?

And to HermionesHermione's' astonishment all around the room paintings came to life with figures moving as to have a better look at her, countless inanimate objects sprang to life, and an especially timid quill moved towards the edge of the table as if afraid to anger her.

_No wonder, he probably works with Severus on a daily basis._

High pitched voices, deep rich baritones and some that sounded barely human began to whisper among themselves until an angry "Silence!" shattered the happy noise.

Turning around Hermione faced a  livid Severus Snape who advanced towards her with robes flying and cornered her against a working table, the usual sneer on his face.

"What are you doing here?", he hissed and his face was only inches from hers, his ebony hair strands that had loosened from his pony tail barely brushing her face as she looked up at him.

_Don't look at those lips, don't imagine how they would feel against your neck… Too late._

The necklace responded by instantly burning against her skin.  A hot blush crept into her cheeks as she tried to form a coherent sentence, but it was incredibly difficult to do so. The only thing that came out was a muffled "Umm?" that sounded like something Crabbe or Goyle would mutter on a good day.

Severus' eyes stormed as he tried to figure out why his wife was behaving like a complete imbecile. "I was waiting in the great hall for you and you never arrived!" He gripped her jawlinejaw line, his thumb and finger pressing against her cheeks and his voice sounded slightly softer as he peered into her face. "I couldn't help but be worried. Even your friends didn't know where you were."  He paused, " I am so relieved to findsee you safe." placing his right hand on top of hers, on the table. The grip on her chin loosened and instead turned into a soft caress through her hair at the nape of her neck.

Hermione, closed her eyes for a brief moment at the touch of his hand, she could smell his intoxicating herbal-woodsy aroma on his robes. A soft moan escaped her mouth as his hand trailed slowly down her neck and up again. "I am perfectly safe right now." Her voice was breathless and it came out as nothing more than a throaty whisper. In response he tilted his face sideways and a glint of glee appeared in the otherwise calm depths of his eyes. Gently he placed his other hand on the back of her shoulder and pulled her towards him without giving her any more room to move. _"Do you know safe I feel, how good you smell? You must know."_

Now, she was pressed against the hard wood of the table his warm breathing body touching her own and his breath tickled against her ear as he held her against his chest. Feeling her own heat and desire build, she felt something harden against her belly.

_This is… it's his… he is…Oh godessgoddess!_

Severus Snape was beginning to feel the effect of his wife projections as her thoughts drifted to places of intense pleasure for her. He felt the way their connection flared to life in ways it had never done before..  She brought out the inner protector, he wanted to keep her safe.  Everything about her was soft, warm, and inviting. His velvety voice reverberated quietly through her hair as he pressed his face into the soft shining curls. "I could loose myself in you, Hermione." _"I could get lost in your hair." _The same emotions he felt at GrimmauldGrimauld place the day the wedding occurred sirgedsurged forward with the force of November gale winds. The passion and the possessiveness welled up inside and it was hard if not impossible to stay detached the way he had always been untouched by his emotions. "_She belongs to me, she's mine."_  His bracelet glowed white hot around his wrist as he pulled her even closer as if wanting to make her understand what she was doing to him, what she was forcing him to let happen.

Looking up into his eyes again she saw the onxyonyx had enflamed with desire, and a hunger was in his eyes like she had never seen before. The necklace was now bright ruby red and began to vibrate and hum against her breast as she inhaled deeply.  All in a sudden the pleasing narcotic magic circulated the room, making it difficult to breath and her intellectual mind ground to a halt making it impossible to think one logical thought, pushing nothing but primal emotions to the surface.

Hermione tilted her head to the side giving him all the access he needed. Gently his lips covered hers in a soft caress as if afraid to scare her, afraid she would run away if he proceeded to fast. Lightning bolts cursed through both their bodies from the point where they touched and silently Hermione accepted a legend she had so far rejected, that Slytherin were the best lovers in Hogwarts. ( Insert a kiss here----Pressing her close, he leaned over her looking into her wanting eyes and kissed her passionately.  She fell into the kiss deeply, never had she felt such a loving and passionate kiss.  She was reaching under his arm to hang on, while pulling off the leather tie that held his hair back causing it to cascade around her face like a sable waterfall. 

By instinct her hands began to grip his robes, driven by passion, fumbling with the clasp, they finally fell forming a black pool on the floor.  Breaking the kiss slowly, she took on the multitude of buttons of the frock coat, looking Severus in the eyes all the time confirming this was really happening and not another product of her fantasy..  Charming the buttons away didn't seem right, this was a dream she had  every night since their weddingday, and each button only heightened her desire by revealing the glorious present in black gift wrap one small bit at a time. Her blood rushed through her veins, throbbing and wet between her legs, and she leaned a bit more against the table, undoing the final button, and pushing his coat onto the floor. She was grateful now that the table was holding her in place because she couldn't have stood any longer if her life depended on it.

Severus Snape felt like he was under a trance, watching his wife takinge delight in the simple task of teasingly undoing his buttons, when all he wanted to do was tois rip off the offending coat.  All he could do was send the red Gryffindor robe to join the black Slytherin one on the floor.

"This… is … magic." Severus sounded strained and on the verge of losing control.  He began to nuzzle her neck turning the attention of his hands to the sides of her breasts.  Somewhere inside he realized Snape realized too late that a spell was cast on the lab, and his wards were ineffective against such ancient magic.  With the mental reasoning that remained with passion clouding his judgement, he figured they were under some primoris spell.  There was no counter agent or spell, and it was used for both healing and cursing.  The spell had to run its course, or they would die. Fear shot through his passion as he considered who he was with, _"Merlin, what am I doing."_

Pulling her tightly close, he breathed, "Pplease forgive me, Hermione".  She whispered haltingly, " Why? --There is-- nothing to --forgive-- here.  I want you.  I need this. -- Accept this.—Pleaseplease." He groaned not really sure if it was in pleasure or terror as he surrendered to ancient magick far more powerful than anything he had ever experienced before.

And Hermione could indeed feel the pull of the hypnotic magic in the room that reminded her strangely of the vibrations she had felt when she had been transferred to see the scene from Severus' past. Only this time it was far more pleasurable and she couldn't care less if it was all due to magic. She wanted him and by god she would have him right now. Fastening her mouth to his ear she gently bit on the ear lobe making him groan with pleasure again.  The spell's effects claimed Severus Snape.

» » » » » » » » » » 

The headmaster had never been one to pursue political power, he had never wanted to become Minister of Magic despite being offered the job several times.      He always believed one's destiny was determined by one's choices.  He remained as Headmaster because influencing children earlier, was easier than correcting their mistakes as adults.  He shaped the destiny of the wizarding world and had always been proud to watch as children grew to adults and their skills and talents were every time a pleasure to see. Although, he didn't enjoy paperwork or the bureaucracy much he endured it because life had taught him that sometimes patience was a virtue. But right now standing above an enchanted mirror he cursed his life, his role in destiny, and all it had thrown his way in the last few years. 

_I_

_It is nothing more than rape, Albus. You are no better than his father._

Sighing heavily he turned his face away from the events in the mirror and stared towards the slowly clearing sky as if to look for a sign of wisdom, but as was usual in these situations none was offered. It was his duty, he had repeated that in the last hour over and over again as he tried to believe it with all his might. He didn't want to hurt Severus or Hermione but it had to be done.

When he had heard the prophecy for the first time the name Voldemort had meant nothing to him,  he hadn't known Severus Snape at this point in time and Hermione hadn't hadn't even been born. It hadn't meant much to him but he had stored it in his mind all the while knowing that it would be of importance one day, all the while reminding himself of his duty to the wizarding world. It was all clear, really, you couldn't sacrifice a world in exchange for two people, no matter what your feelings were, noand no matter if one of them felt like he was your own son. It would defy all his faith that he had garnered over the years, it would be inhuman.

He knew what was at stake, he knew why he had to do it but that knowledge didn't make it any easier right now. He wished he could talk to Minerva but she had left after her fit this morning to hold a class, and he hadn't dared to tell her about the primoris amplector ardour spell he would start soon. She wouldn't have understood, or approved of using such ancient magic..

Sinking down in his chair he leaned back and closed his eyes. How often had he wished for Tom Riddle never to be born? But somehow he doubted that his life would have been any easier. For once no humming tune was in his mind as he tried to focus on maintaining the spell. 

» » » » » » » » » »

It was strange how little Severus resembled his father, especially when he was aroused and the passion showed on his face transferring the features into something beautiful, something so filled with life and happiness. BloodwynBloodwen remembered in this second the little dark haired boy she had once viewed from afar, when he had so much of life still ahead of him. Chuckling she averted her eyes from the mirror and focused her gaze onto the sulking ghost of Salazar Slytherin perched on his throne like a king trying with all his might to ignore the sounds of passion from the mirror.

"Tell me Salazar, am I mistaken if I interpret your sullen face as anger?" she asked her voice filled with gleeful irony.

A snort was all the answer she got and chuckling to herself she sat down in her chair, again filled with a feeling of amusement which was very likely uncalled for. This was no silly matter, it wasn't even a simply story of two people falling in love; no, it was about the fate of the wizarding world. These two would for once and for all decide which philosophy would prevail and she was as affected by that as the sulking man perched on his throne.

_"What is Albus trying to achieve with this?" BloodwynBloodwen knew Dumbledore was their greatest enemy, he was completely unpredictable , and as usual one of his  seemingly senseless acts could prove fatal in the end. But surely Severus would recognize that magic was involved and he would be enraged when the spell faded? _

» » » » » » » » »

Her saliva left a wet trail on his naked belly from his very erect nipple to his navel and judging from the state of his erection he was enjoying himself very much. His loud groans and the way in which he had closed his eyes in obvious bliss waswere proof of her excellence in the seduction and bedding of men.

Bellatrix gripped his arms and pinned them above his head all the while teasing him with soft brushes of the skin between her thighs.  She smirked at his need, while wrapping his long blond tresses between her fingers, licking the hair like a cat.  Letting his hands go for now, his erection quivered and he began to spew the most obscene words as she bentd her head taking him inside her mouth.. Instantly he entangled her hair in his hands and pressed her down on his urgent need. He was close, very close. She could almost taste his precum in her mouth and the wetness intensified between her legs.

"Are you enjoying yourself Lucius?" she whispered silkily still licking the skin on his lower abdomen.

He grunted a heated "Yes." His fingers gripped her hair so intensely that it almost hurt but Bellatrix always enjoyed pain, especially when making love. Not that this matter had much to do with making love, it was a mindless fuck nothing more. Lucius was delicious as usual but not her first choice. That would always be Severus, the only man to reject her in all her years, the only one who had sat on her bed with a bored expression as she had tried to pleasure him. 

Angrily she licked her way up until she could suck on his right nipple again as she remembered the moment of her greatest defeat. Lord Voldemort had chuckled when she told him about Severus' lack of reaction. Since then it was her declared goal in life to seduce Severus Snape, the proud potions Master or die trying. Almost bruising Bellatrix gripped the strong shoulders of the still groaning man and left white stripes on his chest where she had tugged her nails into his skin.

Denying him his release for a moment, she positioned her body above him and slid down his hardonhard-on uttering the first moan while letting her hair float down her back. Lucius was always especially delicious and he sure knew how to please her. Feeling the first contractions of her muscles he groaned one last time and erruptederupted into her body. 

» » » » » » » » »

Clothing now scattered the lab.  Spurred on by the emotions revealed by the spell, Severus bent down and lifted Hermione on top of the lab table.  She felt the warm tips of his fingers start at her tummy and trail slowly up to her breasts rubbing softly over them.  Returning his urgent kisses she gasped and arched towards him trying to get more of the electrifiyngelectrifying touch bringing such pleasure out of her body, _"yes"_.  

"Yes?" he whispered in her ears. He sounded almost teasing as he gently bit down on her lower lip. He could feel her respond passionately to his touch, he wanted her like nothing else on earth.  Her hands urgently petting his hair, following the lines it made down his body made his muscles tremble.  His hands caressing her every curve, moving his hand towards her sweet spot.  Kissing her neck, he slipped his fingers between her legs, she was so smooth, warm, wet, and inviting. 

"Severus" she gasped throwing her head back sending sweat soaked curls in all directions.  So many emotions running though her head, so many new potent feelings, she couldn't processesprocess it all and tears of joy and love seeped at the edge of amber.so she simply gave herself to the pleasure of loosing control.

Never in her life had she felt such intensity, her feeble dreams could never compare to the reality of now.  There was no pain.  Her whole body was filled and as she let her hands and lips taste and explore his skin she was pleased to find him covered with goosebumps and sweat as well. Her breathing had quickened and the stone of the necklace burned into her flesh spurring her on in her search for release.

Severus was moving above her and with her, his eyes closed and obviously as lost in their pleasure as she was when she felt a vibration going through her. Her eyes flew open as the most intense feeling gripped her and a groan left her mouth in the same moment as her husband opened his eyes and bored them into hers.

"I love you." he sounded surprised by his own words.

She put her arms around his neck, pulling him even closer and closed his mouth with a deep kiss trying to match his words with her actions.

» » » » » » » » » »

Her breath has returned to normal as he lifted her naked body and with fast steps crossed the room making a door appear in one of the walls. The paintings and the chandelier watched the scene quietly as Severus left the lab and took a shortcut to his bedroom placing Hermione's light weight on the dark satin sheets as if afraid to break her. Gently he brushed her shiny curls off her face as she snuggled under the covers with some soft sounds of obvious pleasure. 

She was tired, he could see that and before he knew what had happened she had tugged his body down next to herself and cuddled in the hollow of his arm all the while muttering quietly. He strained to make out the words and if he wasn't mistaken she was mumbling something along the line of  "Never knew they were right about Slytherins". He frowned and considered asking her what she meant but a soft snoring told him she was already asleep. Carefully he breathed a soft kiss on her cheek and closed his eyes for the first time in many years completely content with his life. A second later he had fallen asleep as well not caring that it was afternoon but simply giving in to the temptation. 

_Oh how sweet. Ain't I nice? I gave them a peaceful moment before all hell breaks loose. This was another difficult chapter to write but the next one will contain a mad Halloween ball, some more Bloodwen action and we have to deal with some other issues. Hope this time the spelling and grammar pleases everyone since the mistakes that were pointed out by some of you were produced by the comments tool in MS Word. As always review. Some more lemons until we reach more dangerous territory. Some of you complained about the lemon parts being too innocent- hope that pleases you. More about the prophecy soon and we are slowly reaching the showdown- whatever that is. I love to be cryptic._


	19. 19 The Ritual

I was faster this time and it seems my muse has returned. As always the editing is done by the wonderful Carrie and I didn't use the comment tool this time so tell me if there are more of these awkward mistakes. The ritual in the beginning, keeping Hagrid's dialect and additions to the confrontation scene in the end are Carrie's doing and credit goes to her. Please aware of explicit sexual content in this chapter.  
  
19. [The Ritual]  
  
It was dark in the room which led her to the conclusion that more time had passed than she imagined. The ominous shadows in the semi-darkness would have been almost frightening in a normal situation but probably not when you were lazing in the protecting arms of an Ex-Death Eater and powerful wizard. Laying cosy and warm here under the silky covers nestled into Severus' arms with his warm steady breath on her neck caused her to sigh with contentment. Gently she took his left hand in hers and caressed the long callused fingers all the while staring into the dark unadorned room enjoying the feelings of love and security. She tried in vain to create a feeling of warmth and colours in his bedroom but somehow the atmosphere in here resisted, maybe because Severus still didn't think he deserved it in the end.  
  
Without realizing it, she expanded her caresses to his left wrist and up his arm sighing softly at the surprising soft texture of his skin until she felt something under the tip of her fingers. It felt like a scab was engraved into the flesh and for a moment she was unsure what it was. The mark! Of course what else could it be? In the lab she had totally forgotten about the mark, but now her curiosity got the better of her and she turned her eyes to have a closer look at it. The low greenish light of the floo network permeated from the unlit hearth and slightly illuminated the room. In the green shimmer she could barely make out the now translucent skull and she gently traced it as if to soothe the pain she knew it still caused.  
  
"I made horrible choices, some of those can't be undone." he whispered harshly trying to pull his arm away from her, trying to hide the reminder of his failure.  
  
She sighed again and turned her face to look into his. "I know but nothing is so horrible that it can't be forgiven, Severus."  
  
He chuckled, a bitter sound which rang with pain. "You have no idea what you are talking about Hermione. We are not talking about pranks or a bad job decisions; we are talking about murder, black mail and torture."  
  
She gripped his jaw letting him hide his arm against his chest for now and she brought her face close to his, so close that she could feel his hot breath on her lips. Strangely enough in this instant the necklace rested cool and still against her chest.  
  
"I saw Zachary's murder, have you forgotten that? And I am not a romantic naive girl who wants to excuse these things away. It was as you already said, a terrible choice you once made but you suffered so much for it. All these years you risked you life every time you face Voldemort, you tried to protect Harry when you had every right to be angry at his father and you even gave a family jewel to a muggleborn witch you didn't like in the least." Two soft fingers pressed on his lips prevented him from objecting. "Let me finish! I know you are no saint and for me you don't have to be but I won't join your side and concentrate on your past and your past only. I care about you deeply Severus in case you haven't realized that by now, and I can forgive you all that if you promise me one thing-" At his hesitant nod she smiled and looked warmly into his eyes softly speaking, "That you love me for the rest of my life, that you don't scare Neville quite so much in your classes and that you never do such horrible things again."  
  
He stared into her eyes as if to make sure that this was indeed real and she meant what she said. Then he touched her cheek in wonder and an awkward smile appeared on his face. "I can promise you all this Hermione. All of this, even to not frighten Neville to death, so I might point out that I won't turn soft on him all in a sudden."  
  
Hermione grinned and in return softly brushed his lips with hers. "I can accept that."  
  
He enveloped her in his arms again deepening the kiss and gently running his fingers through her hair, hearing her soft sigh. Breaking the kiss and hugging her tightly, nuzzling his forehead on her shoulder he whispered in deep soft tones: "I do want you forever. I am not sure I could bare it if your were to leave me."  
  
Turning her head towards his, sliding her arm underneath to tenderly, softly tuck his hair behind his ear. "If somebody had implied that I would confess to you I love you and no one else I would have called them crazy six months ago. But now I say it and I mean it with all my heart."  
  
Meeting his gaze her face was bathed softly in the red glow of her necklace, the one that had started it all in London. In his mind Severus wondered if maybe even without Malfoy's threat and without the force of the necklace things would have turned out the same. He liked to think so and it was a wonderful thought. Never in all his life had he felt that deeply, in a way it was the most powerful thing he had experienced in his life. His sexual desire got fuelled by the emotions he could sense through the necklace and this time no primoris spell was needed.  
  
She felt his hand slipping towards the small of her back while feeling the other caress her face and the brilliant white light of his bracelet lit up both their faces. His kiss was passionate, demanding, his tongue probing hers. She felt the heat and passion rise in her, relishing in his kiss, feeling the power behind it. When he finally let her go gasping for air, he made a sound like he had tasted something delicoius, smiling a devilish grin he spun her around and pulled her body towards him pressing her back against his chest. He gripped her tightly not allowing her to move an inch and feeling her squirm just a little into him. Speaking in the softest and warmest baritone he purred lazily, "Your lips taste as sweet as tawny port, and I shall be a silly drunk in no time if we continue this."  
  
She heard the smile in his voice and her heart soared, and with a smile on her lips she replied, "Even if I would lose my sight I would not feel deprived of one crucial sense because I could go on listening to your voice all my life and never tire of it. Speak to me please!"  
  
"As you wish my lady." he said into her ear, his hand holding her close while the other began tracing her curves. His light slow touch hit ticklish points making her squeal and squirm with laughter, " Severus, you are tickling me!" she panted as the necklace grew hot. He pulled her in tighter feeling her muscles twitch under her skin as he lightly traced his fingers up her side.  
  
"Another wish I see?" he pronounced in the deep rich voice that vibrated against her nape sending those hot pleasurable jolts through her nervous system "No sound could be more beautiful than your laughter to me. Never stop doing so, my dear." He wrapped one arm under hers and lightly traced his fingers from the back of her ear down to her neck, causing her to relax her head against his shoulder. The other arm went around her waist with his hand on top her navel, and he wrapped one leg around hers like a snake around its prey. "Your neck is as beautiful as the alabaster statues of Corinth," said the smooth deep honey voice with just a hint of a tease as he slowly kissed that neck between each word.  
  
Hermione was simply driven to the brink of giddy madness with desire. She tried break free to return the pleasure, but he would have none of it as the grip held firm. "Damn he's strong, - sneaky teasing tickling Slytherin" He was having a lot of fun teasing her and she was having a lot of fun being teased. "Tusk tusk" said the teasing silken voice, "Patience is a virtue and I am not finished here by the way". She simply responded with a low raspy "Ohhh I'll get you, just wait until I get free!" and he smiled at the humorous threat in her voice and replied, "That's the general idea my dear".  
  
He bent over and silenced her mock protests with a kiss and feeling her relax her muscles he ran his hands under her breasts, cupping their softness and feeling them firm immediately under his touch. Hermione arched back into his chest and let out a soft moan. She pressed into him for a deeper kiss as he rubbed her nipples between his fingers until they felt like small pebbles.  
  
"Your beauty shall always silence me with breathless awe, my beloved" he said huskily before another kiss. A hand reaching, sliding through her soft curls to the sweet spot within. Sliding his fingers in gently, slowly moving he felt she was already wet with honey. He continued as his wife began to move her hips naturally to the rhythm of his hand and it drove his passion to see her ecstasy build to suc heights He felt her muscles move with the passion as her body pressed against his hold, her shaking head sending curls in his face, rasping his name as he continued, unrelenting, and feeling her arch and build to her release bucking under his hand and against his body.  
  
He finally let her go and she rolled to the side panting for air and feeling drained with post orgasmic trembling. She hugged him close, and her stomach rumbled.  
  
Touching her face lightly he said, "You haven't eaten since breakfast yesterday. There is something that I think you might like my dear." Quickly charming on a forest green silk robe, he quietly closed the door as she snuggled into the sheets for warmth. In one stride, Snape leaned against the mantle place and curtly called "Dobby!"  
  
"Y-y-y yes sir?" asked the shaking elf.  
  
"One nuptial platter Dobby, please"  
  
Dobby stood dumbfounded, looking at the Potions Master with the long messy black hair, arms crossed about his chest, wearing nothing but a green robe and glowing white bracelet. His eyes darting around the room and widening with the realization of what the request was about, only to discover he was now looking into the sneering face of an impatient Snape, "Dobby, if I ever hear of any words that come back to hurt Hermione on this I will personally skin you alive with my bare hands, do you understand?" using his most dangerous tone.  
  
Dobby began furiously nodding affirmatives and yelped with a snap of his fingers. A beautiful plate of oranges and pomegranates appeared along with a single glass goblet filed with sweet cream, and two smaller glass containers of honey and yogurt.  
  
Re-entering his room, Hermione chided him, "You really shouldn't be so mean to Dobby, Severus." He quipped in a cool tone, while setting the dish on the bedside table, "Hermione you know nothing about the extensive reach of house elf gossip. I come from a pureblood family; I know what I am talking about my dear."  
  
He charmed onto her a red silk robe, and started a small fire in the room. Pushing her legs to point opposite of his, he sat on the bed next to her, their thighs touching. He gave her a pillow to prop up on.  
  
He sighed, and looked at her face, and said in a calm and soft baritone, "Hermione, you have been cheated out of many things. So many things that are to be included into a wedding, into a magical wedding. I will not let you, or I for that matter, be cheated out of this small ritual." He poured the yogurt into the goblet of sweet cream, stirring it, following up with the honey like it was some sort of potion.  
  
"Severus, what is this?"  
  
"This is nuptial nectar, it is an ancient tradition. Grooms always serve this to their brides the morning following the wedding night. It is a mixture of sweet cream, yogurt, and floral honey. It represents la dolce vita. The other part of this tradition is I continue this ritual each day until the next full phase of the moon. This time period is called a honeymoon."  
  
He could see her blushing and he smiled "My love, it's a bit too late now to be so shy." He took a sip of the drink and then offered it to her.  
  
"The idea is we each take turns sipping from the glass."  
  
It was incredibly sweet and rich.  
  
Hermione noticed his soft dark brown eyes emanated warmth, and he smiled ever so slightly. She had never seen him look this way before. "Is this tenderness? Is this the real Severus Snape?" she shortly pondered this thought. The necklace and bracelets were quietly humming their tune of domestic bliss, but there was something more pure of tone to the humming today.  
  
He continued explaining like he was in lecture hall, grabbing an orange and paring knife he split the peel filling the room with the scent of orange zest. He sorted the orange segments into a bowl and set it on his lap. "All the fruits on this platter have a rind to protect the life within, as much as I am your protector. The orange represents a happy future with its sunny color. Its segments are said to represent years of our shared life."  
  
He took a segment and snapped it in half, eating one himself and offering the other to his bride. They finished the orange in this fashion.  
  
"Ah yes, pomegranates, they have a very interesting history, you would enjoy reading about it. I think I have a book about it in my collection. The pomegranate has a tough and bitter rind that is difficult to remove to get at its inner charms" and it was clear from his frustrations trying to peel it that his was the case.  
  
"That describes someone very dear to me", said Hermione teasingly.  
  
"Hmm, my cheeky Gryffindor is back now?" He raised one brow, the warm expression never leaving his face.  
  
"Why don't you just magic the rind away?"  
  
"Tradition requires this be done by hand; it symbolizes the labor of life. The seeds look like faceted rubies symbolizing wealth."  
  
"Well, for your information, muggles would do it by hand as well."  
  
"Interesting point my little Gryffindor, it never occurred to me." She wasn't sure whether there was irony in his voice or not.  
  
"So this could be a muggle ritual?" For some reason this thought filled her with curiosity and her eyes began to sparkle with excitement.  
  
"It could be, but that is not how I learned of it." He leaned back still working on the fruits and seemed to ponder her question some more. "I was taught this ritual by my grandmother, a very proud pureblood Slytherin. I somehow doubt that she would have used a muggle ritual. But who knows, maybe it is one in origin."  
  
Placing the seeds in a bowl, he offered the tart succulent seeds to her. She took a handful, munching on them. "These are tasty, and they do look like rubies. Could be an interesting thing to try for transfiguration." She pondered and leaned back as well.  
  
"Well, the seeds also symbolize something else"  
  
"Like?"  
  
"Like fertility, the seeds represent future children", he said getting even for her last cheeky comment. Rolling her eyes, she grabbed some more seeds and simply watched him peel another orange.  
  
Looking at his face, the soft brown eyes of the contented man, she was struck by the thoughtfulness of his doing this, when he didn't have to, she would have never known. She saw him looking in her eyes as well and smiled. She had never felt so loved in all her life and her heart swelled. She felt as if something shook her by the shoulders and a jolt shot through the necklace and it flared white like his bracelet and then returned to normal. She felt so overwhelmed with emotion, she had to close her eyes for a second to center herself. For one moment she had felt like she had seen his soul and it had been beautiful.  
  
Severus felt something too, looking into the eyes of the young woman with the infinite capacity to give and love. His bracelet flared red and then turned back to its normal white, and he had to shut his eyes as well because he didn't know how to handle the rush of such feelings, it wasn't magic this time.  
  
Opening his eyes, he hugged her close and entered her mind gently to see what she had experienced. Then he spoke, "I feel the same way."  
  
She pushed back his hair and kissed him. "Make love to me" she whispered. And he did.  
  
» » » » » » » » » »  
  
It was a Saturday and so it was quite an unusual site to find the boy-who- lived and his red-headed sidekick marching across the mossy grass that lead from the main gate to the entrance of Hagrid's hut at 9 o'clock in the morning. Not that Ron seemed to mind, he was chattering away about Quidditch and the last game he had read about in The Daily Prophet which he claimed had been of the best and most dramatic game he had ever heard about. Harry mumbled an affirmative now and then while he tried in vain not to trip over stones or his own two dragging feet. He was exhausted from being up all night writing a six foot parchment potions essay on Costa Rican woody herbs covering properties, effects, and applications that Snape had assigned them for Monday, but since today and Sunday were filled with Quidditch practise plus extensive divination homework he had decided to get it done Friday before the weekend began. Not to forget that there was a Halloween Ball held on Sunday evening.  
  
And I thought Snape would change now that he is married to Hermione but he is still the sadistic bastard he always was.  
  
While it wasn't hard to see why Hermione felt so comfortable around Snape, all he wanted to do was puke whenever he thought about potion classes.  
  
And I can get away when it is done but Mione has to be around him all the time. Wonder how she stands it with that sneering greasy old bat.  
  
It had to be said that a sleep deprived Harry Potter was a miserable grumpy person and therefore these thoughts would later be stored away under Angry Grumbling. Not that he would ever like Snape but since Hermione had made it clear that she saw something worthwhile in him he had grudgingly accepted that, which of course didn't keep him from insulting the dark Potions Master in his thoughts whenever he needed to vent.  
  
He tried to concentrate on Ron's words but it was in vain. I shouldn't have let my thoughts drift in the first place. I'll never catch up to his Quidditch conversation.  
  
So now he grunted replies to Ron, while trying in vain to make it to Hagrid's hut without seriously injuring himself, which was thankfully already in sight. The weather was typical for late October in southern Scotland, the sky blanketed with grey, the air misty and the wet grass under his feet making squishy slurping sounds whenever he stepped on it. Through the small windows in the hut Harry could see a small fire flickering in the big fireplace, and Hagrid stood in all his glory in front of the cabin collecting small pieces of wood, for Hagrid anyway, in his huge arms. Fang, as always, trotting and slobbering next to his master. The enormous black dog raised his head when he heard the two boys approaching and his tail began to wag upright and side to side quickly which was a sign of happiness as Hagrid had pointed out once.  
  
As long as he doesn't begin to have a fit of barks like last time we were here. Harry had needed two days after that last event to get the ringing in his ears to stop. Strangely enough Ron hadn't minded at all and only humped impatiently when Harry had complained about the volume of that big creature of a dog. Maybe he it is used to that kind of volume from the burrow, I figure with that many siblings it must have been quite loud at times. Harry grumped to himself.  
  
Hagrid looked up that moment and a big smile appeared on his face as he made two steps into their direction. "Ah, 'arry 'n Ron! How are yeh? An' where'ns Hermione? Gee 'arry, yeh look terrible. Yeh not 'avin' nightmares again are yeh?"  
  
Ron had begun to pat Fang's back and his voice was honestly good-natured when he answered. "We are fine Hagrid, just a lot of really long assignments. Hermione is still in the dungeons with Snape and we haven't heard from her since early yesterday morning."  
  
Hagrid opened the large door and motioned them in placing the wood next to the hearth in a huge basket, which now was almost completely filled with pieces of wood half the size of Ron. He turned to his stove and took a big pot off the flame in one swift motion.  
  
"That'd be'an Professor Snape, Ron. Yer lucky I've just prepared a cup o' tea. That's exactly what yeh need now with this lousy weather out there."  
  
Harry grimaced behind the giant's back. How lucky, bloody hell! It wasn't that he was ungrateful but Hagrid had the tendency to make horrible tea and so far every time he had been here he had managed to serve them tea that tasted like muddy water.  
  
Hagrid in the meantime had placed three huge cups on the table and sat down next to the two boys with Fang instantly lying down next to his feet not far from the fire.  
  
"What'ns Hermione doin' in th' dungeons? Poor girl, got detention with ole Professor Snape? 'elpin tha' Neville no doubt." He filled the cups with an unsteady hand which was probably due to the temperature in the hut which was biting cold even so the fire was slowly warming the space up.  
  
Harry sighed. So Hagrid didn't know about Hermione moving into the dungeons.  
  
"No, she hasn't got a detention or any such thing. She moved in there." Harry said.  
  
Hagrid raised a bushy brow and his voice sounded confused when he asked: "Wha'?"  
  
The two boys had never told him about the wedding and the death threat Lucius Malfoy posed to her since they had arrived in Hogwarts. The school year had been busy and they hadn't made it down here far often enough.  
  
While Ron was trying to drink the tea without making many sounds of disgust and petting Fang occasionally, Harry told Hagrid about the events that had took place so far at both the order and the castle, and exactly how Hermione had ended up in the dungeons. Every now and then the giant expressed his concern for the girl, his anger at Malfoy, and Harry tried to calm him down. Harry further explained that according to Hermione, Professor Snape was treating her well, and all of this occurred with the complicit agreement and acceptance of Albus Dumbledore and most of the order, who seemed nonplussed by it all.  
  
"Blimey! A weddin'? He better take good care of our 'mione or I'll be down in that dungeon in a second!" Hagrid roared. "But if Dumbledore agreed.an' Professor Snapes never 'armed any students.but a weddin' gee, that's kinda drastic", and then without making much of a break he pointed to some pumpkins stacked in a corner. "I 'ave to prepare those fern th' great hall as 'n tomorra evening's Samhain. If ye want te ye can help me?"  
  
He and Ron shared a look and then nodded silently. They had nothing better to do anyhow and as it was they felt guilty enough in regards to Hagrid. So for the next four hours the three sat around the table and attacked pumpkins with knives. Ron especially showed creativity in carving the most dramatic facial expressions into the squash, one even showed a definite sneer.  
  
"I am going to give that one to Hermione. Is that okay Hagrid?" Ron asked looking at the sneering Jack-O-Lantern. Hagrid nodded and so they took the pumpkin, said their goodbyes after assuring Hagrid that they would see him at the ball and left the cabin to make their way to the castle. It was time for lunch anyhow and before they went to the great hall they made their way to the dungeons to visit their best friend.  
  
Ron was carrying the pumpkin and sniggered softly. After a second Harry sighed. "What's up Ron?"  
  
The redhead screwed up his face with obvious satisfaction. "I am placing this in their living room and when Snape sees it he will surely get a fit." He sniggered again and Harry shook his head softly. Either he was growing up faster than his friend or he had lost touch with his sense of humour.  
  
When they reached the door Harry softly knocked and after a second they heard Hermione's soft voice uttering a short "Enter." She sounds like Snape already, Harry thought with a shudder. Maybe those two were more alike than he had ever thought.  
  
They opened the door and found the room as they had the last time they visited except the small frame of their friend huddled in one of the big arm chairs a book , "History and Myth of Common Fruits" by Pamona Sprout, in her lap and sipping from a cup of steaming tea. A bowl of oranges and pomegranates sat on the table. She looked up when her friends entered and appeared honestly glad to see them.  
  
"Hello Harry and Ron. Come in you two and don't waste the warmth of my fireplace by keeping the door open longer than necessary, please." She sounded teasing and Harry grinned in response while Ron closed the door behind them, with a pumpkin under his arm.  
  
"So where is Snape?" asked Ron all the while looking longingly to the wizard's chess board in the corner.  
  
Hermione raised her brow. "Please Ron, he is one of your professors! Professor Snape is in Professor Dumbledore's office at a meeting. So you don't have to be afraid, he won't be back for some time." She motioned them to sit down on the other arm chair and transfigured one the chairs to a more comfortable arm chair for them. "Do you want something to drink?"  
  
Harry nodded desperate to get the ugly taste from Hagrid's tea from his mouth. "Please."  
  
Ron leaned back and grinned. "Maybe some pumpkin juice would be great."  
  
Hermione nodded and rose from her chair. "Dobby?"  
  
In a second the house elf appeared and seemed eager to please. " Yes, Madam Snape?"  
  
"Could you get me some pumpkin juice for Harry and Ron please?" Hermione smiled as he nodded with so much excitement that saliva dripped from his mouth. In one second a tray with two glasses and a big bowel filled to the rim with juice appeared on the small table by the fire.  
  
"Anything else Madam Snape?"  
  
Hermione shook her head and with a snip of his fingers the elf was gone. Harry poured them some of the juice and looked around noticing some little changes in decoration which were very obviously done by his friend.  
  
"So, is our dark Potions Master behaving?" Ron joked but to their surprise Hermione sputtered on her tea. "What's wrong?" Ron asked concerned but Hermione simply shrugged her shoulders.  
  
"Too hot." She smiled uneasily at Ron and Harry knew she was keeping something from them. "Of course he is Ron as you very well know." She folded her hands neatly in her lap and gently closed the leather bound book. "What are you doing with that pumpkin by the way?"  
  
Smirking, Ron presented the Jack-O-Lantern like a precious gift, and placed it on the mantle so that anyone in the room could see its glowing sneering face. "I carved it down at Hagrid's cabin. It's my Halloween present for you and Snape." At Hermione stern look he added hastily "Professor Snape."  
  
"Thanks for that Ron. It's much appreciated." She really did like the face.  
  
The redhead grinned and then took a huge gulp of the juice. "So, what are you and Professor Snape doing down here all the time? You weren't at lunch and dinner yesterday or breakfast today."  
  
Harry was amazed that Ron sounded that innocent when Hermione blushed furiously, yet she smiled a warm far away smile, picked up an orange and looked quickly at the fire. For a moment his thoughts freezed as he contemplated her strange reactions this afternoon thus far. And then he came to a startling realization that made him sputter on his juice as well.  
  
Ron shook his head still clueless. "Man, what IS wrong with you two?"  
  
Hermione stared into Harry's shocked green eyes. She slowly shook her head as if to prevent him from saying anything and the boy nodded sharply. This could wait until later. Now was definitely not the time.  
  
Snape and she have. I am getting sick.  
  
» » » » » » » » » » »  
  
Severus Snape left his wife in his chambers only after he conjured up the strongest possible wards against dark magic and spells affecting the mind or emotions; wards so powerful they reverberated down the dungeon halls and a permanent mist hung in the air there. He left with the excuse of a simple meeting, but his emotions of worry, paranoia, and blinding anger so consumed him that he neglected to tie back his hair and cuff up his bracelet, its shine a stark contrast against black sleeves. Snape never felt this violated by someone he had trusted for so long, someone he had trusted with his life, someone he respected, and who he considered his most loyal friend. He may even loose his job today, but he didn't care.  
  
A brief fearful thought crossed his mind that perhaps the Dark Lord was influencing Dumbledore, but he quickly banished it as being totally absurd. With long strides Snape glided swiftly through the halls. His eyes glittering dangerously as he was ready to send curses flying at anyone. The formidable vision was compounded by the wild maniacal look of the hair flying with the billowing long black robes, scattering students in fear. By the time Snape arrived at Dumbledore's office, Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw each lost 75 points, and Slytherin lost 25. It was fortunate that many students were at Hogsmead that day. For some reason he did have it in him to take points from Gryffindor.  
  
"Butterscotch Toffee" Snape hissed menacingly at the guardian gargoyle, that for the first time cowered away from the Potions Master. He hoped the headmaster had a very good explanation or he would feel what it meant to be at the receiving end of Severus Snape's anger.  
  
Albus frowned as he contemplated how to approach the wildly pacing man in his office without making him snap completely. He looked angrier than he had ever seen him in all their years, except the time when Sirius Black had escaped after he had captured him but back than his anger had been more shown with outbursts not the violent undercurrent as now. Albus knew from experience that one wrong word, one incorrect direction and he would explode.  
  
Sighing the headmaster took off his half-moon spectacles as if it would make things easier but he knew in all honesty that it wouldn't. Sometimes he wondered how much Severus felt like his son, a pleasure he had never been allowed to experience in his life. Over the years they had built a relationship of trust and loyalty that he was hesitant to destroy. But what could he tell him without risking the prophecy?  
  
Snape turned around sharply, robes whipping around as he smacked his hands flat on the old man's desk, causing Fawkes to jump and parchment to flutter. Snapes cold black eyes probed the blue eyes of the man he trusted most in this world, had trusted with his life back during that cold night when he had changed sides. Right now he wondered what the old man was up to, why he had performed such dark and dangerous magic aiming it at Hermione and him, in the castle no less. Subtle Legilimency isn't going to work today; the old man is definitely on guard. And in all likelihood stronger than I am.  
  
"What in Hell's creation is going on here Headmaster?"  
  
"I can understand your anger Severus and you have every right to be but I have to call upon your trust once again. I cannot explain things right now, as much as I want to, but I assure you that I had only your and Hermione's best interest in mind. I ask your forgiveness for not notifying you before casting that spell." His voice sounded tired and raw.  
  
"NO ALBUS, NOT A DENIAL! I cannot accept this, not when last night she could have died if I hadn't been to the dungeons fast enough. DIED! ARE YOU TRYING TO FINISH MALFOY'S JOB! You know about the effects of primoris spells, they kill if their aim is not fulfilled and it was pure luck that I got to the dungeons before the spell took effect. What if I hadn't made it?" Snape reached out and gripped Dumbledore's robes at the shoulder in a fist of fabric, and stared him in the eyes.  
  
"I've seen the effects when used by the Dark Lord! It slowly rips your mind apart!" Fear flashed across his expression thinking of such a fate for Hermione, then releasing the old man he straightened up again and gripped the glowing bracelet around his wrist. Turning away from the desk Snape hung his head and buried his face in is hands. Dumbledore took note of this action, and felt more at peace. At least his violation had provoked the results he had intended. Primoris worked. Severus is not hiding his feelings any longer and the bond is stronger than ever.  
  
Albus nodded. "I know all of this but I can assure you that I made sure the spell would take no effect until you were inside the dungeons. I would never risk yours or Hermione's life, you know that."  
  
Snape glared, slowly turning to face the desk. "But why this spell? What good did it do? The ONLY reason these spells aren't illegal is their special applications applied only at St. Mungos. And most wizards are not powerful enough to cast them anyhow. Why shove these emotions on Hermione and me? Why would you force me to have this kind of relationship with Hermione when I am her teacher, when things are already complicated enough with the war? Why would you do such a thing and not consult me before hand?" said Severus furrowing his brows and impatiently waiting for an answer, clenching his hands into fists.  
  
Albus sighed heavily, "I'm sorry but you have to believe me I didn't want this anymore than you. I can not give you any reasons but Severus I have to ask you to consider my behavior towards you in all these years and decide if you can trust me in this. If you can accept that I can't give you any reasons or explanations right now, not until certain events take place." He bored his eyes into the black ones of the other man. It was an icy standoff with no hope of a thaw.  
  
Severus averted his gaze and tried to swallow his hurt and anger. Right now Albus Dumbledore had almost called in all his favours with the potions Master. Speaking coolly, "It seems you have given me no other option, but I warn you Albus, I won't tolerate any more games, not when Hermione gets endangered! I will protect her; I vowed that last night. I will not accept any more lies or evasions after today. Next time something of that effect happens to me or Hermione I will ask for an explanation and you will give it." Severus pulled his wand and not daring to point it at his mentor clasped it in his hands, eyes flickering dangerously and with a low measured voice of steely determination he hissed, "And if she gets hurt, I swear by Merlin I will hunt you down to the ends of time and hex you into the next dimension, if it is the last thing I do!" He swept around, the black robes swirling like a billowing cloud and left the office leaving the headmaster in silent contemplation on what he had ruined today just to fulfill an ancient prophecy.  
  
Oh Minerva, what have you gotten me into? But he knew really that it wasn't the witch's fault. It was ironic really that Severus' hurt and suffering where due to one of his ancestors, Bloodwen Snape.  
  
Okay I know I am trying your patience here but you will get to know about the prophecy soon. I have already written it so it will be included into one of the next chapters. Is Minerva involved? And if so, how? And Bloodwen, what has she to do with the prophecy? Wait and review if you want. ;) 


	20. 20 The Robe Disaster

_As always edited by the lovely Carrie.__ Any information regarding Diagon Alley was kindly given by The Harry Potter Lexicon, I take no credit for it._

**20. [ The Robe Disaster ]**

It was a while after Severus had left Dumbledore's office when Bloodwen made the picture of the old wizard disappear in her enchanted mirror and turned around to her partner in this matter. Again she wished in death Slytherin would have been able to overcome his short comings which were that he generally sulked whenever things didn't go his way and a tendency to brood over things that were right at this moment unchangeable. Now and then he mumbled a curse or an angry insult at the muggleborn girl who he thought was to blame for everything that hadn't worked in the last millennium for him which was quite a bit exaggerated.

Bloodwen tried to understand what Dumbledore's tactic was. And she was sure that he had one, probably a very good one because in all truth he had an advantage in this. He lived in this time whereas Bloodwen and Salazar had trouble understanding changes in society that had taken place over the centuries. Purebloods it seemed were not valued as much as back then and the number of wizards and witches that could be counted into this group had so diminished and obviously a lot of people were half bloods or less. In some way Bloodwen began to understand the point of view of the other founders who had possibly foreseen this development. Doubts had began to creep into her world view in the last days, doubts that maybe the world Slytherin wanted was not possible today without killing three quarters of its habitants. 

A thousand years ago purebloods were the majority and very little value was placed on half bloods that comprised a tenth of the population. Muggleborns were almost unheard of, maybe one or two every year in Hogwarts. It had been another time altogether and Bloodwen had never been someone to overlook crucial facts. But it was true nevertheless that she had challenged Dumbledore and now they had to fight this battle on the conditions set so many years ago. Maybe it had been a mistake to not reconsider the prophecy, because it was more than cryptic about what exactly it contained if she was honest about it. Maybe there were a thousand ways to interpret it; maybe she was all wrong about its meaning.

Shaking her head she pursued her lips in an attempt to decide her next move. Quite frankly the primoris spell had been an excellent decision even with all the risk and dangers it included. Now Severus and his bride were closer than ever, the bond seemed almost as strong as it would ever get and right now her next attack had to be drastic or she would lose altogether. But what could she do to destroy their bond, what could rip Severus and Hermione apart? And most importantly, now that she was almost sure that she couldn't do it alone, which person could help her to commit the deed? A look at the dark-haired man on his throne was enough to count him out. He was no help at all even if it was his war she was waging. It began to grate on her nerves, his unwillingness to change the situation instead of only decrying it. Maybe she would have to see which pureblood was powerful enough to help her?

*************************************************************************

A tense silence hung over the Gryffindor Common Room as Hermione met Harry there for lunch the Sunday. Everybody else was in the great hall eating and Hermione had decided that would be the best time to confront Harry with his knowledge about her growing relationship with Severus. He sat in the same overstuffed chair next to the always flickering fire with a chessboard in front of him which had been clearly played already. 

When she sat in the opposite chair she folded her hands in her lap. His eyes had never been that cold, never been that lifeless as when he bored them into hers in this moment. To hold off the talk a bit she pointed at the chess board.

"Did you play?" she inquired.

He nodded.

"With whom?" she asked trying to sound friendly.

"Ron, of course."

"Who won?"

"Ron, he always beats me."  He grunted.

A light bitterness in his voice made her grin internally. So this still bugged him. Maybe she could play that to her advantage. But she had to tread carefully here.

"Harry, have you thought that maybe he could teach you instead of using your lack of knowledge." She kept her voice impartial as if she was discussing the next days class schedule.

He frowned in confusion. "What do you mean?"

She sighed. "Oh you know I like Ron but he quite enjoys winning every time. Instead of using you to show off to the girls he should teach you some moves, shouldn't he?"

Harry's eyes widened now filled with slowly dawning understanding.

"So you mean he wants to impress girls?" Harry inhaled. "But which one?"

Hermione kept her face neutral. "Oh I don't know. Maybe Parvati?"

Harry looked up and frowned. "But I told him that maybe I was…"  He stopped abruptly obviously not wanting to elaborate further.  Instead he frowned harder furrowing his brows and then his eyes caught the young witch's. "Mione you're smart, could you teach me some chess?"

Hermione sighed again. "I would love to Harry but I am afraid I am not much better than you especially in wizard's chess. I would be no real help." She managed to keep the grin off her face as she watched his face change as the light bulb lit there.

"Maybe somebody _you_ know could help me…" He sounded hopeful.

"Who?" asked Hermione puzzled, inwardly satisfied that things were playing out the way she wanted them to.

Harry gulped heavily and looked down at her clasped hands and the silver shimmering white bracelets around her wrists, he couldn't help but notice the glow.

"You know Mione, I don't think it is my business what Snape and you do when you don't appear at meals. I mean, I think you are married and all, and Dumbledore agrees, so I shouldn't, you know… try to interfere, if that's what you really want." He looked up and sighed. "Do you think Professor Snape could help me?"

Hermione slowly nodded. "Maybe, but I would have to convince him and that will not be easy, he busy enough already."

Harry got up and knelt down next to her boring his eyes into hers. "You know Hermione, I could try to keep Ron off your back for a while. And I would even try to spread word that Snape is not so bad after all. But please, Mione, I need to learn to play chess or soon Ron…-" He interrupted himself and simply looked at her pleadingly hoping for some sort of deal.

Hermione considered that for a second and then got up.

"Okay. I will talk with Severus. I will tell you Monday if and when he will start your lessons."

Harry nodded gladly and hugged his friend quickly. "Thanks Hermione."

"You are welcome." She tried to suppress her giggle and had to bite her tongue to manage. Men were so transparent at times. 

***************************************************************

Staff meetings were generally a boring event and Minerva tried with all her force to keep her eyes open as Binns droned on and on about Draco Malfoy's disruptive behavior which had turned from simply being annoying to downright dangerous. Usually Severus defended his Slytherins but today he seemed miles away as he sat in his chair the tea untouched and his eyes never wavering from the Headmaster. 

_Either he__ is bored or his mind is someplace else, he isn't even listening, she wondered trying to understand where the sudden tension between him and the Headmaster seemed to come from. Their greeting had been awkward and from Severus' side, cold and a little bit hostile.  Albus now gazed into the potions Master's direction with a concerned look, whereas Severus  continued to stare back ignoring the whole meeting altogether._

Suddenly Binns obviously realized that the Slytherin wasn't listening and frowned.

"Don't you want to defend your brat like always Severus?" he implied with a nasty sneer that almost matched the Potions Master's.

After a second Snape turned his gaze into the ghost's direction.

"He is not my brat. That would be Lucius Malfoy's brat and the last time I heard of him, he was reported dead." He tossed off the statement coldly and returned his unemotional gaze back to the Headmaster.

Minerva inhaled deeply. _"Malfoy dead?__ When had that happened?" And why hadn't Severus told her or Albus about this because judging from the surprised look in the Headmaster's eyes he hadn't known about this any more than other members of the Order._

Dumbledore raised his hand and nodded in Binns' direction. "I promise I will discuss this matter with Mr. Malfoy's head of house but now I think it would be best if we returned to the last preparations for our ball tonight." 

Slowly the teachers got up and made their way to the exit when the headmaster's voice could be heard.

"Severus, if could stay for a minute please!" his voice sharper with the Slytherin than Minerva had ever heard.

A nod in her direction told her to stay as well and she watched Remus sit down in one of the arm chairs with a concerned frown in his face. After the teachers had left, Albus looked at Snape who was still seated at the big table.

"When did Lucius die?"

Severus shrugged his shoulders and then looked up. "Bellatrix mentioned it last time I saw her. I haven't had any opportunity to find out how or why he died."

Dumbledore nodded obviously lost in thoughts for a second. Minerva inquired after a moment, "Why haven't you told us right after you came back?"

"I forgot." Responded Severus with no hesitation or emotion.

When Minerva wanted to argue Dumbledore cleared his voice. "This can happen to all of us at times." He said looking right at the Potion's Master.

Severus got up this moment and walked to the door. "I can leave now, Headmaster?"

"Of course." The headmaster sighed softly when the door closed behind Snape and sank down in his chair.

"I don't think that was the reason." Minerva pointed out as she sat down next to the werewolf.

Albus smiled. "Me neither."

At a raise of her brow he chuckled.

"A mention of that fact would have made any protection unnecessary. Hermione could have returned to the tower and would have been perfectly safe there with Lucius dead."

Remus nodded as a grin began to form on his face. "And for some reason Severus objected that idea."

"He loves her?" Minerva asked, raising her eyebrows and wondered why she had never seen it.

"I think so even though he would rather bite his tongue off than to admit it. But we can simply accept knowledge of these circumstances and ignore the fact that he didn't tell us till now." Albus stated with the typical twinkle in his eyes.

Remus got up with a pleasant sigh and stretched, smiling. "I have to help Pamona with the decoration of the hall. Do you need me for anything else, headmaster?"

The old wizard shook his head and watched him leave.

"What has happened between you and Severus?" Minerva inquired instantly when the door closed behind the DADA teacher.

Albus sighed and leaned back. "We had an intense argument yesterday about the last spell I used concerning this prophecy matter." At her impatient face he elaborated quietly. "A primoris spell, primoris amplector ardour to be exact." Before she could gasp out another word he raised his hand. "Minerva, I know of your opinion in this matter but I have to keep the ultimate goal in sight, which is the fate of the wizarding world as you very well know. I won't discuss my choices with you, maybe later after I have dealt with some Ministry business." He got up and passing her he smiled gently. "I know you are angry right now but please try to understand me in this: I have no choice. I have to do what's right even if that means endangering these two."

When he left Minerva shook her head trying to deny that he was right, but deep inside she knew he was. They simply couldn't afford to lose in this. Not with what was at stake.

***********************************

Late afternoon found Hermione standing in her bedroom next to her wardrobe realizing that she had no idea what a Head of House's wife had to wear on an occasion like this. Of course she had  a pair of dress robes, but at lunch the Headmaster announced that the dress code was formal and she had  a sinking feeling that her dress robe would not be suitable. Staring into the huge mirror she had summoned she tried to shake off the unsettling feeling that she would horribly embarrass Severus tonight.

She looked at Crookshanks snoozing on the bed, he had one eye cocked on his mistress. "Crookshanks, I wish you could give me some advice here instead of only sleeping!"

Sighing she stepped to her wardrobe frantically shuffling through the many school robes and her private clothes she wore in her free time, but those were mostly muggle jeans and jumpers. Angrily she pulled some out and flung them over her back with a desperate howl of frustration and anger.

"What have I done now?" her husband exclaimed and when she turned around one jumper hung over his left shoulder while he stood in the doorway looking concerned and perplexed at all the strewn clothing.

Hermione shrugged her shoulders and for some reason she was angry with him because he appeared completely relaxed about the ball while she was at her wit's end.

Carefully he placed the red jumper on her bed next to the now again sleeping Crookshanks and stepped next to his wife who was staring with worry into the wardrobe again, her hand against her mouth.

"Is there anything I can do for you?" he inquired trying to figure out why Hermione was apparently so upset. 

Her dark eyes sparkling with anger for a moment, she turned around pointing her finger at him.

"You know, it's all your fault that I'm in this mess!" she exclaimed accusingly taking one menacing step closer to him which he had to admit was quite intimidating even for a person so small.

He settled for trying to appear reasonable in an attempt to calm his wife's anger.

"Pray tell, what is it exactly that I have done?" he murmured while gently kneading her right shoulder with his strong fingers, she could see his bracelet shining and felt his concern.

Hermione began to relax under his ministrations and sighed, all her anger leaving her.

"I'm sorry, nothing, but this ball is driving me crazy…" she sighed softly leaning against his firm body inhaling his scent, and rewarding him with a hug for putting up with her.

He chuckled and brushed her hair gently. "Why is that? You don't have to worry about a date unlike some of your friends."

She looked up into his warm dark eyes smiling tentatively. "No I haven't. But I have to worry about my clothes more than anybody else."

He leaned his head to the side looking honestly puzzled. 

She sighed again moving away from his warmth and nearer to her offending wardrobe again. "The only thing I have is a dress robe from my forth year which is so not suitable for a head of house's wife and I already wore it at the Yule Ball that same year, and I'm sure I've outgrown it since its been two years." She spun around and pointed at the blue garment. "I want to make you proud and all I have is this!" she looked worried and a bit sad.

Slowly Severus began to understand what the problem was and relaxed immensely. This was something they could take care of quite easily and it might even be an opportunity to show her some more of his life and the people in it outside of Hogwarts.

"Well, I see what you are talking about." He took the dress robe out of her hand and gently placed it back in her wardrobe. "Well then, since it appears you may have outgrown this robe, I would suggest we find you something to your liking."

Now it was Hermione turn to look bewildered. "Where?" she uttered.

Severus took her hand and gently pulled her to the door leading to the living room.  

"There is only one place really" he grinned smugly grabbing his black cloak and her red one.

Hermione inhaled. "Diagon Alley?"

"Exactly."

The moment the two re-materialized Hermione was almost deafened by the noise around her until Severus pulled her into _The Leaky Cauldron and when the door closed behind them peaceful silence engulfed them. At this time of the day the main room was almost completely empty but two wizards who sat at a table in a far way corner and played some kind of card game. They paid them no attention when they moved to the bar where a man Hermione recognized as the owner stood and cleaned some glasses. When he heard them approaching he flashed them a toothless smile and placed two glasses on the wooden bar filling them with some kind of dark blue liquid._

"Professor Severus Snape, my dear friend! It is an honor to welcome you here, on Halloween of all days! Please have a seat and drink something- It's on the house of course!"

Hermione felt slightly uneasy when the two wizards stopped their soft mumbling and gazed into their direction when the bald owner mentioned Severus' name. Sensing her discomfort, her husband waved his hand in a leisurely gesture and gently pulled Hermione closer to his body, shielding her from the strangers.

"No thank you Tom, but I am afraid we have no time for that today, some other time, I promise" he said evenly without taking his eyes off the two wizards in the corner who stared back down at their cards immediately.

Tom understood but shook his head disappointed, "That's a pity, it's been a while Professor since I last saw you here." He gazed at Hermione and smiled at her. "And you have lovely company. May I inquire who she is?"

Severus stepped closer to the bar and lowered his voice, which had a warm tone to it. "She is my wife, Tom. And now excuse us, we have business to do which can't be delayed any more.  Good day to you old friend." With that he turned around with her next to him and stepped through the backdoor into the small yard where the entrance to Diagon Alley was. Pulling his wand he pointed the bricks and the wall moved to the side revealing the bustling street cluttered with all sorts of wizarding shops. To Hermione's relief the street wasn't as packed as right before the school year started and when she stepped past the first shops she relaxed for the first time since they had entered the inn.

When they passed _Eeylops Owl Emporium Hermione realized for the first time that she didn't have any money- neither with her nor at Gringott's. Her parents always changed the money they needed to buy her school supplies every time they were here and the few galleons she had where in her room in Hogwarts._

When she slowed down Severus frowned. "What's wrong?" he requested impatiently.

"I don't have any money with me." Hermione sighed.

He shrugged his shoulders. "Me neither. We need to go to Gringott's first anyhow." When he wanted to continue she pulled his sleeve. He sighed and stopped again. "What else?"

Blushing for some reason Hermione stared into his face with a pained expression. "I don't have any money there either" she muttered trying to not break out into tears with shame.

"Of course you have" Severus uttered with certainty. She frowned at him in return.

"No, I haven't. I would know if I had any money at Gringott's, I don't even have an account there" she insisted with just as much certainty.

Her husband shrugged. "Maybe you don't have an account but I have one." He continued down the street with his usual long strides and she hurried to catch up to him.

"But this _is my robe and I want to pay for it_!" she persisted angrily.

He turned his head to the side and scowled slightly. "It doesn't matter if it is your money or mine since we are married Hermione." Before she could say another word he interrupted her with a sly knowing grin. "I have to say I am surprised that you haven't read up on the subject of wizarding marriages and their legal consequences. But I will enlighten you my dear: Since you are my wife now and we didn't have a contract before the marriage that stated otherwise all the money I possessed belongs to you now as well."

She stared at him and almost tripped when she missed a step. His firm grip held her uptight and she blushed again. 

"Thanks" she mumbled and the rest of the way was made in silence. All the while she considered what he had just said, that now everything he owned belonged to her as well which filled her with unease for some reason.  Maybe because she had never wanted any of his money. But the truth was it annoyed her he was right that she had really never read up on any legal consequences of this marriage and she intended to do so when she returned to Hogwarts before she would change for the ball.

After they had passed _Madame Malkin's robes for all occasions they stood in front of the large building that was _Gringott's Wizarding Bank_ made entirely out of pure white marble and as always made a grand impression from the outside. Hermione had only been there once, in her second year, after that Arthur Weasley had been involved with changing the Granger's money along with getting some money for his family. In the back of her mind Hermione knew she had to talk with her parents soon about the fact that she was married to one of her teachers, but for obvious reasons she had no intention to do that before Christmas when she had to either visit them, or if in case she stayed at Hogwarts and had to explain to them why she would do that.  _

When they ascended the large marble stairs she looked back to the street where she could see the entrance to Knockturn Alley, a spooky place where dark arts supplies were sold and questionable dealings occurred. A large set of bronze doors opened when they stepped on the last stair and a tiny goblin in a blue uniform nodded into their direction without saying one word.

Inside another set of silver doors engraved with scriptures awaited them this time and two goblins looked up when they approached. They nodded as well and opened the doors and they entered the large main hall with all the counters and once again Hermione was struck with awe at the sheer size of this building. Without taking another look at their surroundings Severus stepped to one of the counters where an extremely ugly goblin sat weighing out gold nuggets.

He looked up when he heard them and his eyes widened for a second when they rested on the dark-haired potions Master.

"Severus Snape? Haven't seen you here in ages?" he snarled and his view passed Hermione for a second. "I see you have brought your young wife with you? Congratulations!"

Severus nodded impatiently. "I want to take some money from my vault" he coolly explained and the tiny goblin took his key, nodded and pointed to a little door near the counter. "You know the way Sir." 

Another goblin accompanied them through the door towards the labyrinth that lies beneath the bank.  Once inside the cart, they moved down a passage with so much speed that Hermione gripped her husband's arm with both hands and clung next to him for fear she would fall out of the pitching and rolling cart. They came to a halt in front of a vault which looked bigger than most of the other vaults Hermione had seen so far and in the golden door the number 444 was engraved. Without another word the goblin opened the door with a key and muttering a spell quietly after which the door shone orange for a second.

"Please step inside and take your money Sir!" he muttered and stepped back when the door opened and revealed a large dark room filled with shelves. Severus stepped inside and uttered a short "Lumos!" to light his wand and motioned her into the chamber. 

Hermione looked around in wonder and gasped at what she saw: Beside all the money she saw in the back of the chamber most of the shelves where filled with all kinds of antiquities including a large amount of old dusty books, paintings, statues, several big chests filled to the brink and beyond with jewels, necklaces and gold goblets that made her eyes water. Many items had snakes engraved or contained beautiful green emeralds giving proof to the fact that the Snape family had been in Slytherin for ages. She stepped nearer to a small wooden case chest and carefully opened it looking inside. It contained a beautiful silver tiara with emeralds and diamonds and for a moment she was speechless with awe again. 

Severus cleared his throat behind her and she spun around dropping the case. "Oh Severus! I am sorry, I shouldn't have touched anything!"

He bent down and took the tiara in his hands which had fallen out of the case. Carefully he placed it on Hermione's curls and smiled slightly. 

"I have said it before Hermione, this here is as much your property as it is mine. I simply stored all the items I had no use for yet have a certain value. You can take whatever you want and I rather like the look of this tiara on you."

Hermione blushed for the third time today and took the tiara off her head. Simply nodding she placed it in the case he was holding and left the vault.

After they had left the bank they headed back into the direction of _Flourish & Blotts_ and stepped into Madame Malkin's shop where instantly a cloud of perfume surrounded them as the squat witch greeted them with a wide smile.

"Ah Professor Snape, what a pleasure to have you here. You need any school robes or dress robes, we have it all here. Just have a look around!"   

Severus smiled thinly. "I am afraid I am not the one in need for a dress robe today, Madame Malkin. May I introduce to you my wife, Hermione Snape.!" he said gently stepping back allowing the witch to see Hermione. Her eyes lit up with joy and she shook the girl's hands in an excited manner. 

"Oh, what a pleasure Madame Snape! I am so pleased to hear that the honorable Professor Snape has finally found a suitable partner and then somebody as charming as you! Oh we will find the most lovely robe for you my dear, don't worry at all!" With that she pulled the girl into a back room and Severus followed reluctantly. 

"What is the occasion?" the witch inquired already looking around the large room with hundreds of robes in all kinds of colours.

"It's a Halloween Ball, Madame Malkin." Hermione uttered quietly.

The witch instantly moved to a bright fluorescent pink robe with a riot of ruffles and extended it to the girl. "What about this one? It's the colour of the season, everybody wears pink right now!" she exclaimed.

Before Hermione could utter a word Severus cleared his throat and motioned to the door. "I am sure the two of you will manage without me, I have some books to purchase at the bookstore. We'll meet there when you are done, Hermione!" and with that he was gone leaving a flustered Hermione to her fate. _Men!_

She turned around again and stared at the shocking pink atrocity which reminded her of Parvati's terrible robe for the Yule Ball. "Ehm, I rather settle for something less- ehm colourful. Severus will go in black I assume and I want my robe to complement his."

Madame Malkin smiled and placed the robe back. "How about some pale blue then?"

Hermione decided against pale blue, her muggle sense thought that out of season. 

"How about this silver one, it is very chic".

Hermione loved the color, but it completely washed out her complexion and it had an exaggerated collar that reminder her of something from a bad 1950s vintage sci fi movie.

Madam Malkin brought over several robes in shades of red.  Hermione thought the colours were all complementary, but the cut of each robe was too ruffley, pouffy, or simply didn't fit.

It took them over two hours to finally locate right one.  Hermione tried on the dark green velvet dress robe that draped her perfectly. The colour reminded her of the rich mosses found on the mid summer forest floor.  It reminded her of the scent she loved on his robes.  The colour highlighted her pale skin tone and brought out the subtle red highlights in her brown hair. A square neckline accented the swell of her collar bones and it was fitted nicely through her torso.  The sleeves were three-quarters length and flared into a slight tasteful ruffle cut asymmetrically.  The fabric of the floor length robes flared when she swung around to see the back.  The removable cape was full cut with generous amounts of fabric, and it had a hood, and all of it was lined in matching green satin. The small silver threaded accents on the edge of the sleeves and around the cape complemented the necklace and the bracelets, which were not hidden and nicely accented by the robes. _This was a formal robe designed for a ball_, she thought as big smile spread across her lips but the image she saw in the mirror didn't seem quite real to her.  Standing up very straight, she felt elegant, an unusual feeling for her.  She continued to stare at herself in the mirror as Madam Malkin sat back in satisfied contentment that this was indeed the gown.  

When the witch put the robe into a large box she smiled warmly. "I am sure you are going to look lovely tonight. Every inch of you will be a real lady, honestly."

Hermione smiled in return, and then froze. "Oh I have no money right now!"

Madame Malkin smiled even broader. "Oh that's no problem. Not at all. I am going to write a bill and your husband can pay it some other time." After she had done so and assured Hermione that she would send the package via floo powder to the castle right away, the girl left the shop and stepped out into the fresh air inhaling deeply. 

In this moment Severus came out of the bookstore's door and smiled shortly when he saw her. He came over and placed his hand on her shoulder. 

"I was worried, what had taken you so long."

Hermione grinned. "Well, finding the right dress of course. But I have one now and it's being sent to the castle by floo powder."

Severus nodded and together they apparated back to the castle.

Hanging up her cloak, she fetched her dress box from the fireplace in the living room and took it to her room.

When she returned she saw Severus with his hand on his chin, his elbow resting on the top of the arm that crossed his chest, contemplating the ever sneering jack o lantern on the mantle.

"Hermione, did you make this pumpkin?" he inquired with a questioning tone.

"No, it's a Halloween present from Ron". She replied, not certain how he would react.

Severus Snape took out his wand and pointed it at the pumpkin  "Adaugeo extrema malus renideo!"  Snape stood tall with a snarky smirk admiring is handy work, waving his hand towards the squash.  "Clearly Mr. Weasley is quite the amateur when it comes to the finer craft of creating frightening Halloween decorations".

Hermione walked over to Severus and looked at the pumpkin and shrieked, it was now a truly frightening sight as it stared back at them, its sneer had transformed into a spine chilling evil sharp toothed hungry leering smile and it now had blazing evil penetrating eyes, giving her the creeps as it watched her cross the room.  

"Severus! Honestly!" punching him lightly in the arm, " you're going scare the house elves!"

_Notes:_

_~ Some spell explanation given by Carrie:_

_Adaugeo extrema malus renideo (increase outward evil smile)_

_primoris__ amplector ardour  (primary/first/foremost, to embrace/twine round/love, burning passion)_

_~ I hope you all get ideas about the prophecy by now and all will be revealed in a short time._

_~ The last scene with the pumpkin was written by the very talented Carrie._

_[ I__ know I promised the Ball for this chapter but I got the idea for some little Diagon Alley shopping and I couldn't let it pass. I hope I manage to write the Ball scene till Christmas Eve because I am busy after that. If not please read my answer to the WIKTT Mistletoe Challenge called **A Merry Hogwarts Christmas** and review if you like. I want to some feedback on this short story if you could find it in your heart to give me a Christmas present. ]_                                                                                                                                                                                                                              


	21. 21 Samhain's Eve

21. [ Saimhain's Eve ]  
  
He had excused himself after they had shared a loving kiss in front of the menacing pumpkin, but he reluctantly released her because a pile of assignments needed grading for a solemn return to their originators on Monday and this was the only time to do it. Hermione had eagerly understood realizing with horror that she hadn't even started her six foot potions assignment that was due that same Monday; the thought of failing in one of her classes was causing her tremendous grief and so she was eager to start writing before changing into her dress robes.  
  
After her husband closed the door to his private study behind him, Hermione curled up even more in the nicely cushioned arm chair in the living room and pulled the dark green blanket over her small body attempting to snuggle closer into the warmth. Severus "incendioed" a fire before he had left but the chill remained in the room. Hermione sighed trying to understand why her husband was so cruel to himself. He wouldn't allow his body the pleasure of a warm flickering fire; he'd rather endure the chilly coldness. Only when she began shivering inside the living room had he considered putting on the hearth to raise the temperature a bit. "Perhaps," she thought while touching the necklace and looking at the study door, "cold numbs his pain, denying warmth is a penanc. I wish he could see himself through my eyes for a moment.."  
  
However, work demanded its due. Earnestly she accioed an old wooden lap desk, parchment, and quill from a nearby shelf, and began to work the same spell to find suitable books. After she was settled with two large piles of books she curled up even more and began to read. Any extracurricular studying of wizard laws would have to wait.  
  
When she looked up again it was already dark outside although that could be a false assumption since the windows were enchanted. Putting the now finished assignment aside, she carefully stretched her limbs trying to figure out if five o'clock was too early to start with the ball preparations. But considering that she would have to deal with her bushy hair, which generally was a long and tedious battle, and that she had still to shower beforehand it was probably better to start right away instead of being late. Severus had told her that he would be ready at ten to eight and they would make their way to the great hall together.  
  
For a moment she tried to picture her entrance with him but felt anxious instead of happy. "What if I trip?" It was a possibility after all. "How will Ron or Ginny react to the fact that I am arriving with Severus?And Merlin help me if someone pulls a practical joke!" She could just imagine somebody like Fred or George Weasley to spicen up the ball with something so childish. Trying to calm her breath in a desperate search for her inner strength she got up and decided to first take a shower with some calming botanical oils used for potions or aromatherapy and see how she felt after that. Having a Potions Master around did have some side benefits.  
  
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Putting the last of the his task aside, Severus rubbed his temple in a vain attempt to stop the rapidly approaching headache. In all his years he had always cursed the fact that he had let himself be convinced by Dumbledore into teaching because he knew as much as the headmaster did that patience really wasn't one of his virtues. Especially when the several students were obviously too stupid to even manage the last potions class correctly; he swore that Amandus Philips was even more unskilled in potions than Neville Longbottom. How you could mix up so many ingredients in a simple boil cure was beyond him, really.  
  
Getting up he stepped to one of the shelves and put his hands into his robes trying to chase away unbidden thoughts that began to penetrate his mind in this moment. As if this ball wasn't appalling enough conducting inane social chit-chat with people he hesitated to call friends, because he knew somewhere inside even after all these years they didn't trust him completely. Some of his fellow teachers had no idea of his work for the Order, instead they privately thought him as an unverified Death Eater, a Master of the Dark Arts. Merlin help him, at least when he had to be charming towards his true enemies he could gather intelligence, not the latest Quidditch rankings. "Of all the deaths, why must mine be boredom?" he thought darkly.  
  
No, the supreme worry was indeed a summoning by the Dark Lord. Saimhain was the perfect dramatic time for a Dark Gathering as a precurser to murder muggles. He fervently hoped to the universe that today he would be spared, could watch his wife in peace as she enjoyed the festivity and maybe even attempt to enjoy it as well, even if he remained a deeply private person.  
  
Staring into the slowly darkening living room he quickly wondered what kind of dress robe Hermione had ultimately decided on but put that thought aside. "Not that it really matters for me, she would be the most beautiful creature wearing a simple muggle outfit." he mused. He was content as long as it wasn't that gaudy pink garment he had seen departing the shop. But somehow he was almost sure that he had seen something akin to horror on his wife's face during that moment. Chuckling he stepped into the living room hoping for the gift of a smile, but finding it deserted.  
  
Next to one of the arm chairs were several potions books placed on the grounds and when he picked one up the title read , "Magical Fauna and Flora of Costa Rica." He raised one brow. So she had been writing the assignment for Monday. "Hmm, my little know it all, indeed." he thought tenderly. He would never stop calling her that, he was sure of it. Pointing his wand at the books he muttered "recidivus liber forulis" and watched the books return to their rightful places on the shelves. Looking at the blanket, the desk and quills he felt a strange kind of feeling inside, a feeling he had never felt before in all his life as if he had finally reached a place he would always treasure, oddly the dungeon felt like home, a home he had thought destiny denied him, that he denied himself.  
  
Turning around he spotted a parchment on a table under the window and recognising his wife's handwriting he picked it up and began to read. "One more parchment to grade," he thought with a smile.  
  
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After a long warm shower with some rose and lavender botanical oils she had found in one of the drawers, Hermione stood in front of the mirror and wrapped the dark scarlet silk bathrobe tightly around her and fumbled with her long dark curls. They were still wet but already they began to curl into a wild thick mass of wretched messiness and she tried in vain to comb them straight, so far with a minimum of success. After ten minutes she gave up the fight and decided to pin "the hair from hell" up so it would appear as if it could behave. Carefully she took her wand and spoke with surety "concinnitas caesaries" and the hair moved up into a complicated pattern until it rested on the back of her head.  
  
Finally accepting the way it looked she began to carefully apply make-up. She didn't want to use to much colour here in fear of looking like a clown or worse; she never used much make-up at school and she had no idea how Severus would react, but she did know how her father reacted when mum over did the makeup, he'd frown thinking she'd ruined her looks. With a light soft voice she spoke "definio bellulus facies". She opted in favour of the mascara and the rouge she used. "Lightness of the voice means light application for spells and charms, Book Of Spells For Second Years," she remembered.  
  
When she was finished she carefully opened the package containing her dress robe and pulled it out with caution as not to crinkle the velvet too much. A quick glance at her watch showed her that it was past time to change as she had agreed to meet Severus in the living room at ten to eight and she knew punctuality was not negotiable with Severus. Sighing she opened the belt of the deep red robe and let it fall to the white marble floor in a heap.  
  
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He stared at his timepiece for the tenth time trying to calm himself. Women were generally late preparing for such events and Hermione was no exception. Although he hoped that she would be able to make it into the living room soon or they would be terribly late. Not that he would care, since he detested large social gatherings in general and especially when large numbers of students were assembled. Such events usually let to too much trouble, too many rule breakings, and to his delight, loads of points he could deduct for those infractions.  
  
An evil smirk spread across his face at the thought of being able to keep a close eye on people like Potter and Weasley before he remembered that circumstances had changed for him. The best friends of his wife were these two boys and he was sure she wouldn't allow him to punish unfairly, and neither would Albus.  
  
He sighed realizing that try as he might he was doomed to an evening of social office politics with Minerva and Albus while watching his wife having fun with her friends. Albus encouraged him that one dance couldn't hurt, but Severus knew better, oh and how much better he bitterly knew. It was extremely important to keep up his façade of a forced wedding for the Order, which was true indeed but nobody was to know that he quite gladly accepted it these days. Especially not Voldemort, the Death Eaters, or any of their progeny at Hogwarts.  
  
Flopping down in one of the chairs he stared at his wife's bedroom door intensely as if willing her to come out with the sheer force of his thoughts. To his surprise the door opened in this moment and a creature more beautiful than anything he had seen so far stepped out of the room.  
  
For a second he could only stare at her, take in her elegant beauty and the way she seemed to hold herself differently, and then he remembered his manners and got to his feet quickly. Making his was across the room to his wife he let the beginning of a warm smile play around his lips and gently gripped her right hand in his, bending his head smoothly and applying the softest of kisses on the velvety skin there.  
  
"You look absolutely breathtaking my dear," he whispered and saw to his delight that she blushed, and gifted him with the smile he was waiting for.  
  
"You don't look too bad yourself," she mumbled taking in his black frock coat with small silver buttons in the form of serpents and his white shirt that could be seen around his neck. His hair was held back in a pony tail, accentuating his aquiline features and high cheek bones.  
  
After several seconds of staring on both sides he offered his arm and silently let her to the door into the hallway.  
  
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Bloodwen considered the black haired woman on the bed with narrowed eyes as she sat down on one of the wooden chairs next to the large window. The dim light that shone through the milky opaque glass bathed Bellatrix Lestrange in an almost surreal light erasing all traces of Azkaban from her even features. The dark blood red robe accentuated her creamy white skin and the thick lashes rested on the soft skin of her cheeks.  
  
Something about her made Bloodwen uneasy, maybe the mad way in which the other woman mumbled Severus' name in her sleep or the tight grip with which she held her wand in her white spidery fingers. She was an insane sociopath, but she was perfect for the job and quite gifted with the killing curse.  
  
Sighing, Bloodwen tried to chase away the nagging doubts creeping into her mind and it got increasingly difficult to dispatch them. She couldn't stop thinking about how much her society- both magical and muggle- had transformed. In her time, purebloods had been the norm and half bloods were very rare. Muggleborn witches and wizards were almost non-existent, but these days half-bloods or less made the majority of the wizarding world. If you tried to purge not only Hogwarts but the whole world of anything but purebloods the magical world would simply die.  
  
Back then when she had made the prophecy for the first time in front of the four founders she had been completely sure that her way, the Slytherin way, was the right one worth fighting for. Godric Gryffindor and the other two witches were mislead in thinking that those half bloods were even needed to sustain a society so strong, so exclusive. But she remembered the sad wistful look in Ravenna Ravenclaw's eyes as she shook her head sitting in one of the old arm chairs in the lounge that is presently the headmaster's office.  
  
"Nothing stays as it is, Bloodwen. Nothing. Not even something as seemingly strong as our world. Times change, so do people and their opinions. Mark my words that one day you will severely doubt your way of thinking."  
  
Back then Bloodwen had laughingly dismissed those words but now as she starred into the milky world outside the window she understood what Ravenclaw meant, what she was talking about. The question was, why had Salazar Slytherin not seen it back then?. Why wasn't he admitting things changed, because she knew he couldn't seal his eyes from the differences in this world. But the reason was maybe quite simple, maybe very human and maybe very wrong. As like many people he didn't want to see his mistakes, didn't want to admit them and therefore refused to acknowledge them at all. "How much evil is committed in the name of ego?" she thought bitterly, but she was destined and bound to the prophecy.  
  
Bloodwen had been brought up in the belief that muggleborn witches were second class people, not skilled and gifted enough to manage to summon a simple stone and the wizarding world was culturally and intellectually superior without them. But frowning she had to admit that Hermione Snape challenged this belief since she was one of the most powerful, intelligent, and empathetic witches Bloodwen had seen in a long time. Where as purebloods with bloodlines that could be traced back until almost her own living time such as Draco Malfoy or Neville Longbottom, faded next to her brilliant shining star.  
  
Shaking her head she banished these thoughts to the back of her mind for the time being and tilted her head back and let out a loud mournful banshee cry of 1000 years of death that made LaStrange wildly shove out her wand in many directions and pounce from her bed, her hair sticking up. When her mad gaze fell on the pale woman sitting next to the window she pointed her wand in her direction.  
  
"Who are you and what do you want here?" she growled.  
  
Sighing with an air of contempt mingled with boredom, Bloodwen got up and with a silent wave of her hand Bellatrix' wand flew to the other side of the room.  
  
"I am the spirit of Bloodwen Snape and I have to talk with you. Now!" she sounded calm and reasonable which couldn't be said for the other witch.  
  
"What do you want here? Give me my wand back or I call for help and instantly all my fellow Death Eaters will be here," she shrieked and tried to inch closer to the place her wand rested on the floor.  
  
Bloodwen raised a brow and tried to stay serious. Still she couldn't help but think what pitiful people Voldemort had chosen for his inner circle. Either mad like Bellatrix, cruel perverted syncophants like Lucius Malfoy, or traitors like Severus.  
  
"I want to ask for your help Bellatrix Lestrange and I want to make an offer, an offer you will find very intriguing as a fellow Slytherin."  
  
"What offer?" she inquired coldly.  
  
"An exchange of favors, I want Hermione Granger's death in return for allowing an attack on Hogwarts." Bloodwen said completely unruffled by the hostile demeanour.  
  
Bellatrix' eyes widened and she grinned evilly, purring. "Why would I need your help for killing a filthy little mudblood? If I wanted to a simple curse and her little life perished in an instant," she smirked while gliding around the bed.  
  
"I doubt that my dear death angel. Currently she is not only protected by Dumbledore and the hundreds of wards he put around Hogwarts, but also by an ancient charm that channels the powerful family magic of her husband, Severus Snape, .my charm." Bloodwen noticed the way in which Bellatrix hands twisted as she stared at her with hateful eyes.  
  
"Dumbledore is a fool to think that my Lord's power can't match his and Severus is the ranking alchemist and obeys my Lord and his bidding and would kill her off if our Lord only wished it." Her eyes began to gleam in a frenzied way.  
  
Bloodwen moved nearer and chuckled silently. "Oh you are a poor deluded fool my death angel but I can excuse given the long term effects of Dementors." She gripped Bellatrix' chin forcefully and stared into her dark eyes. "Silly fools! Dumbledore can't be defeated like this! But my fight is with Dumbledore is on a different level so I will leave it you and your 'Lord' to decide your approach to battle. But there is one thing you severely underestimate Severus loves Hermione and will protect her with his life despite the mark of allegiance to your 'Lord'. So if you want to have a chance at killing the mudbood and thus severely weakening our dear Potions Master at the same time you have to attack Hogwarts for me." She let go of her chin and turned around. "I can make the wards disappear for a moment and you can apparate into the great hall tonight to attack during the Samhain Ball. The only request I have would be to eliminate Hermione Granger. I give you Hogwarts in return."  
  
With that she turned around and crossed her arms in front of her chest.  
  
"Now sweetie, if you don't mind I would like to talk to your boss, Lord Voldemort." Bloodwen had to admit that the students at Hogwarts and their slang was rubbing off on her.  
  
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The ball was already in full swing when Albus Dumbledore made his way through the crowd of teenagers until he reached the teacher's table where at the moment Remus Lupin was quietly talking with Minerva McGonagall. Sitting down on one of the chairs that were still empty the headmaster had to admit even if only to himself the decoration were splendid this year with hundreds of Jack O' Lanterns placed everywhere in the great hall and the ceiling bewitched this night to show off a stormy dark night's sky and a gloomy yellow moon.  
  
Enchanted musical instruments were playing pop to standards completely by themselves and a big buffet was placed in the middle of the room which offered every Halloween treat Hogwarts' house elves could come up with. The students obviously enjoying themselves, partaking in dancing or standing together in both large and small groups talking and joking with each other. For one night of this war, Voldemort and the difficult times that still lay ahead were forgotten. Albus' eyes twinkled as he surveyed the festive scene in front of him until his eyes passed the main entrance to the hall where right this second his Potions Master and a lovely woman appeared and stepped into the hall.  
  
After a second he noticed that the woman was actually Hermione and his features blossomed into the most genuine smile as he watched them walk through the crowd and the way people were staring at them.  
  
It didn't take long until Remus had noticed them as well and smiled gently. "Looks like the seed finally blossomed and look how beautiful the flower is this night," he uttered softly almost nostalgically.  
  
Minerva looked up and frowned. "This is." She gasped and clasped her hand over her mouth. "my little Hermione!"  
  
Albus nodded contently and gently patted the Deputy headmistress' hand. "Indeed my dear. I have to say they look quite enchanting together, don't they?"  
  
Pamona Sprout snickered. "Oh yes, the charming Hermione makes even Snape look quite appealing tonight. Who would have thought?"  
  
Minerva shot her a surprised look and shook her head which was framed today by a bright red hat.  
  
"I still can't believe this young woman is the same girl I saw last week in my classroom. I don't recall teaching - this - in transfiguration."  
  
Remus grinned slightly. "I always knew there was something very mature about her. I am glad to see that obviously she makes him happy- or however that state is called with him." He chuckled as Minerva made a face.  
  
"Oh please Remus, the best Severus gets is grumpy. I doubt I will ever see him happy or in a good mood" she muttered.  
  
Albus smiled, looking only at the brilliantly shining bracelets they wore. "I would say whatever he calls it, he sure looks happy to me."  
  
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Ron stared at the person that he knew should be his long-term best friend Hermione Granger but somehow she had transformed into an elegant woman he barely recognized. Harry's jaw hit the floor, and together they followed the couple through the room until they were near enough to hear what was spoken when the two of them reached the teacher's table.  
  
"You look absolutely lovely tonight Mrs Snape," said Lupin honestly pleased and Hermione smiled in return.  
  
"Thank you Professor Lupin."  
  
The Transfiguration teacher inspected her ensemble more closely and raised a brow.  
  
"Lovely dress robe indeed and this tiara, is it an heirloom?" she inquired.  
  
Hermione blushed a deep shade of red and smiled hesitantly.  
  
"Yes it is I think, Severus gave it to me when we went to Gringots and."  
  
Severus glared at Minerva. "Is this an interrogation or a ball?" he said in a cool silky tone teetering on the edge of politeness.  
  
Lupin grinned like the cat who got the cream. "A ball of course. Do you want some punch Severus, Hermione?"  
  
Hermione nodded gratefully and Severus followed her example. Professor Sprout handed them two goblets and after a short moment of silence Snape looked up and spotted the two boys. Waving them over he gently placed his hand on Hermione's shoulder.  
  
"I understand that it will be utterly boring here for you Hermione. Don't you want to go and spend some time with your friends?" he asked softly.  
  
Hermione gazed into his eyes and placed her own hand on the one on her shoulder.  
  
"I don't want to leave you alone. I would feel awful knowing I am enjoying myself and you are not," she softly replied.  
  
He smiled as if in pain. "Hermione, I am not the most social person. I am afraid I won't enjoy myself no matter if you are here or not. I -endure- gatherings like this as part of my position but I'd feel much better knowing that at least one of us enjoys this evening."  
  
Hermione sighed and nodded. "If you insist but I come back here later okay? Maybe you won't despise this evening quite as much as you think."  
  
"I doubt that," he stated but smiled thinly.  
  
While he sat down at the table Hermione moved to her friends and smiled at them.  
  
"Happy Halloween you two. Are you enjoying yourself, what's the best treat?" she asked.  
  
Ron nodded mutely and Harry managed to choke out a "Yes" and then he closed his mouth again. Hermione raised a brow and looked at them concerned.  
  
"Are you alright? Honestly you look a bit dazed." she asked softly.  
  
The two boys nodded and were actually relieved when Padma, Ginny, and Neville joined them and the girls instantly interrogating Hermione on her dress.  
  
*************************************************************************  
  
It was almost midnight and the ball was in full swing. Suddenly an ear shattering cacaphony came from the entrance hall and Peeves flew into the great hall looking as if he had seen the devil himself, pulling his face in different directions, screeching even louder than he had ever done before.  
  
"BLOODY HELL! DEATH EATERS! CASTLE! INVADED! GET OUT! RUN!" he repeated over and over again bouncing off walls like a deranged superball.  
  
Before anybody could react, a hundred, maybe more, black robed Death Eaters descended on the great hall like a plague of starving locusts. Their tell tale masks eerily reflecting the soft glow of the now exploding pumpkins, giving them the look of impartial hell spawned demons. Hermione stood in horror as the melee unfolded, wands were drawn and she could see a fireworks display of hundreds of streams of green light as the first killing curses were cast. She could hear the sobs and cries of her surprised classmates.  
  
"Oh god, Severus! No." Hermione started feeling several cold pains each like a shard of ice driven though her heart and soul, it physically wracked her body. Several nearby Death Eaters took direct hits from killing curses, and falling in loud thuds near her feet, their bloody masks clanking against the furniture and spinning on the floor.  
  
Next to her Harry and Ron stood frozen to the spot for a second before they drew their wands and then trying to make their way through the groups of fighting and panicking students in the direction of the teacher's table, gripping their best friend at her shoulder. Instantly a Death Eater stepped into their way, Harry was about to shoot a stupefy spell but Hermione jerked his arm down, then they heard a familiar angry voice.  
  
"It's me Potter," Snape chillingly hissed and he brutally gripped Hermione's right arm and began to drag her to the rear end of the hall. Harry and Ron ran with them and to their surprise a determined Neville was suddenly there dragging swearing and tearful Ginny with him. Behind them parts of the room exploded and they could hear Dumbledore's voice as he uttered spells and curses they had never heard before and when Ron looked back over his shoulder he saw Remus Lupin and the other teachers standing in the middle of the hall, their wands pulled and muttering curses. Sprout stood in the middle singing a spell sounding like the wind, calling to the plants. Neville watched a thorny vine sneaking silently up and catching the death eaters too distracted in battle, its thorns ripping into their flesh, piercing their hearts, the agonizing screams ringing down the halls.  
  
Stepping quickly over twitching bodies, time seemed to stop, it was surreal. Harry recognized students by their bright formal wear, some covered in blood. Hermione could see the hint of a familiar shocking pink ruffle among those lying on the floor - it wasn't moving. Before it could all sink in they reached the door behind the teacher's table and Snape pushed it open instantly shoving the students through and closing it smoothly after Ginny Weasley scrambled through. Without saying anything he made his way down a long corridor but Hermione could feel his cold soulless fury through their connection. Never had she received that many primal negative and violent emotions through their bond and her necklace glowed a dark steely grey and it was cold, so very cold.  
  
They reached a staircase and made their way down quickly nobody for once asking any questions. Harry noticed the change in Hermione's bracelets and he understood the connection, the situation was bad, very bad. When the cold humidity of the dungeons engulfed them Hermione fell Harry slowing behind her. Gripping the pale boy tightly she tried pulling on him trying to catch his green eyes.  
  
"Harry, come with us. There is nothing we can do against them. Professor Dumbledore and the other teachers are fighting and I saw some of the prefects and the Head Boy and Girl trying to get as many people out as possible," she uttered quickly.  
  
Snape came to an abrupt halt and turned around his face a murderous rage of hatred.  
  
"Listen Potter, I am trying to save your life here. Don't be a bloody Gryffindor hero. If you die tonight nobody else can defeat the dark lord, it's prophecy. So follow me now or I stupefy you," he spat and after Harry nodded he opened a door to the right and waved them in instantly, pushing them through the door.  
  
They had reached his private study and for a moment Hermione wondered why they were here but then she saw the hearth and knew instantly they were to use floo powder to escape. As if confirming her suspicions he stepped to the chimney and gripped a small bowl which contained the shimmery powder.  
  
Pulling Ginny and Neville to the front he quickly put some powder into the girl's hand.  
  
He yelled, "The destination is Snape Manor. Hurry both of you and make way as soon as you are there!"  
  
Tight lipped Ginny nodded and together they stepped into the fireplace and she threw the powder.  
  
"Snape Manor!" Ginny shouted and a second later they had disappeared.  
  
Without pausing Snape hauled Harry and Ron forward and impatiently put some powder into the dark haired boy's hand.  
  
"Quickly, they're almost here!" he hissed and pushed them into the fireplace.  
  
Again the green fire roared and the two disappeared after having shouted their destination. Without another word Snape dashed into her bedroom and came back with an orange furry something and he shoved it into her arms.  
  
"Crookshanks!" Hermione whispered and fell her heart swell with love for her husband.  
  
He gripped her fiercely as if she was life itself and they stepped into the fireplace. In that moment the heavy oak door splintered and crashed inwards with a brilliant red flash and three Death Eaters rushed in, their wands pointed at the hearth. Without hesitation Snape pulled his wand and his voice was icy cold when he muttered: "Avada kadavra!"  
  
The freezing shards hit her soul and her heart, it felt like a little part of her had died with the uttering of that curse.  
  
Snape's curse hit the Death Eater, who keeled over on to the floor, she watched as the blood flowed slowly across the floor, violating their home. Snape threw the powder and shouted "Snape Manor!" and the world went black for Hermione.  
  
The promised Halloween Ball and I can state right here that next chapter loads will be revealed including the prophecy. We are almost there folks, only a couple of more chapters. Please review if you like and if you haven't done so far, please read my ficlet Letter from Azkaban which you find on my author's page. Simply click on my name.  
  
Spells explained- by the lovely Carrie ~ "recidivus liber forulis" roughly translates to return books to bookshelf ~"concinnitas caesaries" roughly translates to elegant style head of hair  
  
Isn't Latin fun? 


	22. 22 Minerva's Burden

**22. [ Minerva's Burden ]**

When the world faded back into view after travelling through the floo network the first thing Hermione became aware of was that she had never seen such an environment. She herself had been raised in a muggle household and the only wizarding homes apart from Hogwarts she had ever seen were Grimauld Place in London and the Burrow. The room she looked into now was nothing like she had ever laid eyes on and judging from the other's open mouths they hadn't either.

The whole room was large with a wooden ceiling and it was made completely out of dark marble which gave the room a mausoleum look and the many chandeliers and torches in the walls only intensified this crypt impression. From what she could see in the semi-darkness the furniture was exquisite; the large sitting area by the fire place was made out of green velvet with golden threats shimmering in the soft material. The small table was made out of a very dark ebony wood and the patterns that were carved into the legs were very complicated and began to remind her of the one she had seen on her bracelet.

On the floor were many beautiful carpets all very dark and occasionally some green made its way into the complicated patterns. From where Hermione looked it appeared almost as if the frantic patterns were moving and circling which after a second made her quite sick. Averting her gaze she saw that while Severus had left the room without another word Ron had moved to a huge chess board on the other side of the room. Stepping closer herself Hermione saw that it was carved out of marble, one set completely black and the other a creamy white, and even now they were moving slightly. What made this chess set so special was that the pieces wore Hogwarts robes with the crests of Slytherin and Gryffindor.

"This is the most amazing wizard's chess board I have ever seen," Ron stated still staring at it. "Dad told me that those existed but there are only very few left."

"Actually there are only two left to be precise," Snape stated from the door. "This one and the other one is owned by Albus Dumbledore. And as far as I know he keeps it in his private chambers."

Ron gulped and colour had returned into his face, apparently he had at least partly recovered from the shock of the attack. 

"It's brilliant, honestly. I wish I could one day play with such a board." His voice conveyed how much that would mean to him.

Snape raised one brow. "Well, then it might be good for you to hear that you can play against me tomorrow- if I have time," he added after a second.

Before Ron could say something else a loud bang was heard from the other side of the room where Neville and Ginny had been standing at a huge painting that covered almost the whole length of this side of the room. Apparently Neville had tried to touch the painting and now he seemed to have stepped into the picture and stared out of the wooden frame with big eyes.

Snape sighed and raised his wand. A soft yellow light beam came out of it and then the painting glowed for a second.

"Step out Mr Longbottom!" he commanded.

Carefully Neville did as instructed and the beam faded into nothing. Ginny gently took the trembling boys arm and looked at him compassionately.

Snape shook his head with a sneer. "Of course it would you who got trapped in a painting Mr Longbottom. I advice you to stay away from all the paintings in this house since quite a lot are enchanted to do just that."

"Why?" Hermione asked staring at the painting in confusion.

Snape smiled thinly. "It's a protection against thieves. Only the house elves can touch them because they have to clean them."

In this moment a strange kind of shriek was heard behind them and a small greenish shape hurried through the room and sank to the floor next to the potions Master's feet gripping the black pants tightly. Wailing pitifully it began to kiss the black shoes.

"Oh Master is back, finally after all these months Master is back and he brings company! Guests, we not had guests here for years! Oh Master Snape is so good to his servants, good to Slinky, bringing those guests…. Oh oh oh." he squeaked obviously very pleased with this but tears were streaming down his face.

Snape looked sour all in a sudden.

"Get up, Slinky!" He pushed the shivering house elf away with his leg. "And let go of my legs, instantly!"

After a particular hard shove the elf flew across the room into a nearby grandfather's clock. The noise of his head hitting the wood and rattling the chimes could be heard loudly in the now quiet room.

Hermione gasped and quickly moved over to the crumpled figure of the small creature. Gently she put his head into her lap and looked up with a reproachful face.

"Severus, you can't kick him around like this! He was only trying to show how pleased he was for you to be back. House elves have feelings too you know!"

Snape stared at her like she had grown another head.

"He is a house elf Hermione," he stated incredulously. Obviously that seemed to explain everything for him.

The girl scowled. "Oh right, I forgot the kind of attitude you purebloods have on your faithful servants," she said sarcasm but also hurt ringing in her voice.

Ron sighed. "Not again, Mione. Please."

Neville seemed to have recovered from his experience.

"Oh yes, she was the one who founded S.P.E.W right?" he posed.

"S.P.E.W.?" Snape seemed completely lost. "What is that?"

Ginny grinned slightly. "Hermione founded this organisation in her fourth year to free house elves from their enslavement."

Snape gasped. "But why?"

Hermione growled. "Because nobody asks them if they want to be enslaved or pays them any wages for their work."

"Wages?" Snape stared at her a second. "Why would I do that? They are our family elves for centuries."

Before anybody could add another word obviously Slinky had awoken.

"Oh, Miss has to let Slinky go. Slinky has to see that the guest rooms are prepared for the guests."

Hermione looked at him concerned. "Are you okay, Slinky?"

He stared at her with an open mouth. "W-w-why?"

"Because you were kicked across the room from my husband."

He looked back at the dark figure of his master and then to Hermione's gentle face. 

"Oh, Master has married. Oh OOOH!" He got up instantly and began to kiss Hermione's knees since he couldn't reach her feet in the position she was kneeling.

"Mistress, you can tell Slinky to do anything and I will. This a good day for me, best day for Slinky in his whole life." He bowed down so deep that his forehead hit the floor several times and the skull cracked slightly on the dark marble. 

Hermione stopped him instantly and covered his mouth to stop his excited shrieks.

"Slinky, please call me Hermione okay?"

He stopped immediately and stared at the young girl in shock and then began to wail. Returning to Snape in an instant he gripped his feet and began to moan slightly.

"Oh Master, please Slinky never calls Mistress like that. Oh Master please punish Slinky for that." 

Snape's face wasn't moving other than one muscle next to his mouth twitching and after a second he sighed. "Slinky, prepare the guest rooms now. We will need four rooms and the master bedroom. And prepare the kitchen- we might need to stay for a couple of days, maybe longer."

Slinky got up quickly and left the room slapping his own face several times, muttering over and over again: "Bad Slinky, Slinky is a bad house elf."

Snape turned around and ignoring Hermione's scowl he addressed the others.

"You can go upstairs in a second. There are four prepared rooms, however I understand it if you want company. You can share rooms if you like. I am going to wake you up tomorrow as soon as I am back from the school."

"You are going back?" Hermione sounded very concerned.

"I highly doubt the Death Eaters are still there. Albus was casting powerful magic and either they left quickly or they are captured by hundreds of Aurors that are no doubt already there." He moved to the fireplace. "I have to see what can be done about the injured students and I have to help put up the wards again."

With that he stepped into the fireplace, threw the powder and shouted: "_Dumbledore's Office!" _

In a green cloud he was gone and left five puzzled students behind. 

**************************************************************************

Minerva stared into the empty office where only a small candle was illuminating the circular room and the greenish shimmer from the fireplace bathed every detail into a surreal light. Her thoughts were moving in circles right now, always coming back to that one fateful night so many years ago and she tried to suppress the tears that were threatening to spill from her eyes.

Tonight the impossible had happened, the wards around the school had fallen down and the school had been attacked by Voldemort's forces. Right now over fifty students were being treated at the hospital wing and so far twelve bodies had been discovered. From her own house, Gryffindor, two students were dead Seamus Finnegan and Peter McMillan, a second-year and several were missing. A small sob broke free and she covered her face in the hollow of her arm trying to gain control back over her emotions.

A gentle touch at her shoulder made her look up and she saw her colleague Severus Snape standing next to her, grim lines set around his eyes.

"Is there anything I can do for you, Minerva?" His voice sounded soft, all traces of venom and sarcasm absent for the time being.

She shook her head and managed a short smile. Then a thought struck her. 

"Some children are missing, Severus! Mr Potter and two of the Weasleys and Hermione…-"

"They are at Snape Manor, Minerva," he interrupted and sank down into a scarlet arm chair.

"Who exactly is at your Manor?" she inquired softly obviously still worried. Some strands of her grey hair covered her face and the lines in her face appeared deeper than ever.

"Potter, Ron and Ginny Weasley, Neville Longbottom and Hermione," he replied and saw her face relax a bit.

"Then the student body is complete."

"How many casualties, Minerva?" Snape inquired.

"Twelve." She closed her eyes for a moment as if to collect herself. "Two from Gryffindor, five from Hufflepuff, three from Ravenclaw and two from Slytherin."

He nodded. "Who from my house?"

"Goyle and Parkinson. We have no idea why they were killed as we found Goyle's father in your chamber. Did you kill him?"

Snape nodded. "They barged in as I was leaving with Hermione. Who else has been killed?"

Minerva got up. "Only seven other Death Eaters. They disappeared right after you left the school and we were able to put up the wards shortly after. One of the killed Death Eaters is Lucius Malfoy, Severus."

He looked up surprised. "I was under the impression that he was dead already." He frowned.

"Obviously not. The others are Dolohov, MacNair, Avery, Flint, Azul, and two unknowns, we think they are not English. Maybe you can identify them later. We did do considerable damage, the Aurors have put an alert and are at St. Mungos and healers have been notified."

Snape nodded again and got up. "I see if maybe I can help Albus and the others with putting up the rest of the wards."

Minerva got up and stood in his way. "No. I have to tell you something Severus. Something that you and Hermione should have been told long ago." She stared into his dark eyes and held his gaze. "Severus, you know about this prophecy about you and Hermione. But we never told you or her about what exactly it is about. I regret this today and I wish I could undo it. But the least I can do is explain things now."

He sank down into the arm chair, his face turning pale all in a sudden. "Tell me!" was all he said and Minerva did as the night so long ago surfaced in front of her inner eyes so very clearly.

*****************

The Leaky Cauldron was almost deserted that one rainy fateful night when Minerva McGonagall would serve her part in deciding the destiny of the wizarding world without even being aware of it.

Minerva looked at Snape with a mournful expression as she recounted her tale.

_"It was late November, 1956 and a severe thunderstorm had raged for two solid days over the southern parts of Scotland bringing more rain in barely 48 hours than in most of the year thus turning most of the streets into rivers and causing severe flooding in many areas throughout the country around Hogwarts. Rapidly dropping temperatures where adding to the severity of the problem, and loss of life was expected to increase. Headmaster Amando Dippet had ordered all teachers to take a short break from school and assist the Ministry's liaisons to the muggle government in dealing with the damage caused to people and property. _

_ I had not yet started teaching at Hogwarts and was therefore at the moment still in __London__ preparing for my arrival at the school to start teaching Charms classes. I was replacing Atonius Weaver who had died a fortnight ago during an afternoon nap and given Dippet's dire need for a replacement Albus Dumbledore, the transfiguration teacher and Head of Gryffindor House had contacted me, his former student and asked me to take over the position until a qualified replacement was found. Of course I had granted this favour even if it meant giving up that research position at the Department of Mysteries in the Ministry of Magic for what was supposed to be a short while.  Many people owed Albus Dumbledore favours, and the Ministry had regretfully but eagerly released me to his service._

_At the time I had spoken to Albus an hour ago and he had expressed his concern that at the moment it would be wise to arrive at Hogwarts as soon as possible to support the other teachers' attempts to help the muggles with the flooding. So  I  delayed my previous plans to stay a while in __London__. I had gathered my things to travel to Hogwarts immediately after   dinner and paying the bill. It was after __seven o'clock_ already when I got up to leave the tavern to apparate to the castle's grounds with my luggage. I'll never forget  that it was in that moment a tall woman with long raven hair that partly hid her alabaster white face from view stepped in my path and gently placing her cold well manicured hand on my grey woollen sleeve.  She had such a distinctive voice, Severus_," and Minerva continued on with her story watching it unfold in her mind._

_"May I beg your pardon, are you not the highland child, Minerva McGonagall?" she asked her voice slightly husky and accented in a way which indicated that she lived in the southern parts of __England__._

_Surprised the teacher looked up into her penetrating emerald eyes and raised one fine shaped brow in confusion._

_"Aye, I am Minerva McGonagall. Do you we know each other, Miss-?"_

_"Snape." She smiled thinly and shook her head with a short movement as if it pained her. "No, unfortunately not but I have some matters to talk about with you, matters involving you and the future."_

_"I was on my way to an urgent appointment, Miss Snape. I am afraid I have no time, lives are a stake right now and I must go help."_

_She tightened her grip on the sleeve of Minerva's grey travelling robes and her voice darkening a nuance and imparting great authority. "I am aware of what concerns you my child, as I am aware of where you are heading but still I have to insist. It will take but a moment of time and what is time to the universe my child."_

_For a moment the young Scottish woman was undecided but hesitatingly she nodded feeling a sense of foreboding and mustering her Gryffindor courage in an effort to handle what may be coming.  She sat down again, looking up at her insistent acquaintance. _

_"If you insist but I have to ask you to hurry. What can I help you with?" She tried to sound friendly and matter-of-fact when in reality this woman made shivers run down her spine with her troubled eyes and her expressionless face. Of course Minerva knew the family name of Snape; the Snapes were an old wealthy wizarding family that had been in Slytherin for generations. However, she had never paid much attention to them as in all her time at Hogwarts because when she was a student no member of that family had been sorted into any of the houses._

_"It is a delicate matter of balance and I have your assurance that you will treat this with utmost confidentiality. I have to know that you won't tell a soul but Dumbledore of Gryffindor about what I am to reveal to you." She folded her hands neatly on the table and stared into Minerva's amber eyes again looking into the heart of her soul._

_Minerva nodded after a short moment of hesitation and averted her eyes a second to get her emotions under control again._

_"You have my word, Miss Snape."_

_Snape nodded and then her eyes darkened and her voice dropped to an eerie whisper._

_"What am I about to tell you is a foretelling concerning the fate of the wizarding world, it will lay out our destiny as a people, what path we will choose and the choices we will make along the way. It's about something that no human knows so far, it's a prophecy that isn't known to your Ministry of Magic and it is not stored in the prophecy room."_

_Minerva raised her brows again. "Why is that? As far as I know all prophecies ever made are stored there without exception."_

_The woman smiled, and patted Minerva gently on the hand. "Oh my child, the reason is because it is not meant to be known. Its purpose can only be served if it remains secret and only those involved know about it." She raised her hands as if to avert any discussion, "My time here is very short my child. I can not and will not explain this any further. This prophecy has been done over 900 years ago by a powerful witch with all four founders of Hogwarts present." _

_"The founders?" Minerva furrowed her forehead. "But who made it?"_

_"Me." _

_Minerva paused in surprise. "That's not possible, you couldn't be alive after over 900 years."_

_She shook her head in silent amusement. "Who says I am alive?"_

_"You are a ghost?" Doubt rang in the Scott's voice._

_Bloodwen sighed and studied the witch in front of her intensely. "Minerva of the highlands, I have no proof of that but, when you arrive at Hogwarts you may ask Dumbledore about me. My name is Bloodwen Snape and I died 950 years ago. I lived at the time when Hogwarts was founded and I made this prophecy about Severus Snape and Hermione Granger."_

_"Who are those two?" Minerva demanded but she got no response.  Her companion started to fade away very slowly.  With a voice that sounded like it was drifting away on air, the ghost of Bloodwen Snape recanted the ancient prophecy of long ago._

_"Listeneth me myn highland childe_

_O' thistles wylde_

_For ye and ye alone moste hearest_

_Prophecy al falle it foule or faire.     _

_Joinst betwixed o' perilous fates coerced_

_Swich unknown deepest unfelt ardor            _

_Spawned the ancient magic spell_

_Forging bondage of soul-metal and heart stone._

_The souls are wedden for life eternal or death unsung._

_A leader of Sytherin's heirs, the end of pureblood line_

_Highest of powerful wizard-alchemists_

_of unfathomable bitter life and evil marked _

_Light shall rule the darkness within._

_This knowledge only few will possess.           _

_The pureblood binds to Earthborn-blooded flower,_

_A Gryffindor maid who wields the puissant Power_

_To bring to dark destruction dire_

_And burn to naught in eldritch fire_

_Her own, her people!  Else, to raise_

_Them to the highest seat of praise!_

_Behold the maid! She shall decide_

_If Magic shall let fall its pride_

_And cast its prejudice aside_

_To join with those of Muggle birth_

_And bring new fruitfulness on Earth._

_Or shall they part and ever strive_

_Until the last one left alive_

_Shall die alone, by sorrow driven_

_And peace and harmony are riven?_

_The choice demands a sacrifice,_

_But who will pay the awful price?_

_What lives to take, provide what purse_

_To appease a hungry Universe?_

_A dreadful tourney shall be fought_

_With spells and curses in open court;_

_Between the truest Gryffindor kin_

_And the purest-blooded Slytherin!_

_Duel to the death with wounds agape,_

_The gauntlet's thrown!  I, Bloodwen Snape_

_Shall see thee under death's dark drape,_

_Dumbledore O' Gryffindor! Dost accept it?_

_Take my challenge or regret it!_

_May the Fates decide the rest._

_this is the Rede!  Beware, attend,_

_The Maid shall set the tourney's end!_

_Which shall she choose? To join, to rend?_

_O Wizards! Muggles! The Prophecy_

_Shall soon be heard!_

_So Mote It Be!"_

_Minerva McGonagall sat speechless staring into the air where a ghost once was, feeling like she was handed a heavy anvil, a burden to carry for two strangers she never met A strange feeling permeated her being as the words imprinted themselves in her soul with intense pain. Closing her eyes she put her hands to the bridge of her nose rubbing her forehead until the migraine subsided leaving nothing but questions and confusion.  Opening her eyes she looked in the mirror across the tavern and noticed some of her hair had turned grey that night, now matching her travelling robes…_

It was endless minutes after Minerva had ended her story of the events of that night when Snape looked up and had an expression on his face that was so unusual for him that she couldn't place it for a moment. But then she realized with a start that he was scared, horrified by what he had just heard.

"The fight's already started, hasn't it?" he croaked his throat suddenly dry.

Minerva nodded and averted her eyes because she couldn't bear the lost look in his.

"Yes, the night you and Hermione were married Bloodwen appeared here in Hogwarts and challenged Albus again. He accepted after she told him that if he didn't Voldemort would win. All that has happened so far, Hermione going off to that hidden chamber, the primoris spell Albus cast on your two was part of that battle."

Severus got up and nodded curtly. "I thank you Minerva for telling me. I will return to Snape Manor immediately. Unfortunately I have made my alliances clear tonight and am therefore of no use for the Order any longer. Tell the headmaster that he will receive my notice tomorrow; I am leaving Hogwarts."

Minerva averted her eyes and nodded mutely. With that the potions Master stepped into the fireplace and looked back at the deputy headmistress.

"If the ministry wants to question me, they know where I am. Good bye Minerva."

With that he disappeared in a swirl of green flames.

************************************************************************

Finding the master bedroom proved to be difficult since all the paintings that framed the hallway told her where to go and some even snickered while they made comments on what to expect this night. She found that Snape Manor had many hidden secrets soon enough when she got up another staircase and wondered how this house could have so many floors and why the hell the paintings she passed were laughing and taunting her.

After a second she slowed her gait and addressed an old painting with a serene looking woman who was seated on a huge arm chair. She reminded her a bit of Bloodwen but had blue eyes and was almost bony.

"Excuse me?"

The woman raised one brow and her voice sounded throaty when she answered.

"A mudblood? How come you are here in Snape Manor?" the painting ask stiffly.

Hermione gulped once and then her eyes began to sparkle with anger. No stupid painting would call her a mudblood!

"Listen, I am Hermione Snape, wife of your owner and I would not recommend calling me names okay?" she spat furiously.

The woman paled a little. "This excuse for a Snape married a mudblood? What a disgrace to our family, what a disgrace to our cause!" And with that she left the painting leaving a stunned Hermione behind.

The other people in various painting looked at her with obvious disdain on their faces and some even turned their backs to the now shivering girl. The atmosphere in the house had suddenly turned hostile.

With a plop Slinky appeared and Hermione inhaled deeply.

"Mistress have lost the way?" he squeaked.

Hermione nodded. "I think the paintings have led me the wrong way." She sniffed softly. "I think they hate me."

Slinky inhaled. "Slinky takes them all down tomorrow.  Master has other pretty paintings without any people in it, or at least not Snape members."

"These are all family members?" Hermione was surprised.

Slinky nodded and led her down another corridor. "Yes, they don't like anybody much, not even Master when he is so good to us."

Hermione raised a brow remembering vividly the way he had treated the elf in the living room. Slinky slowed down and his face became sad.

"I have been in this family for many decades now and I have served many masters but none has been as gracious with us house elves as our current master." He took a bit of the cloth he wore and sniffed heartily. "He gives us enough food and we are allowed to go into the garden." He looked as if this was really something unusual. "And he knows Slinky's biggest mistake."

"What?" Hermione asked.

He looked sheepish all in a sudden. "Slinky like to read. And since Master caught me one day in the library as Slinky looked through a book he allowed me to read books now and then. Master even teach Slinky things like how to make a pain killing potion or pepper up potion. My former lord would have killed me for that but Master told Slinky he was a smart elf. He is very good to us all."

Hermione was stunned by this. She had never thought that Severus would be so kind to house elves, not when he was so cruel to some of his students. But she began to understand why he was that way, it was the way he had learned from his father, the only way he knew how to teach.

Slinky opened a door and led Hermione into a large bedroom with a huge bed covered by a dark green blanket and some silver embroidered pillows. Another pop and he was gone leaving Hermione to herself.

***************************************************************************

The three boys and Ginny had decided to all stay in one room since it was easily big enough and as soon as they had made that decision all felt better. The events in Hogwarts had shocked them all and so they silently took turns using the bathroom and then crawled into the huge four poster bed that was almost three times as big as the ones in the school.

***************************************************************************

The bedroom didn't offer much to explore and quite honestly the attack on Hogwarts had scared Hermione more than she wanted to admit. She found a dark red silken pyjama in her size on the bed and after she had put it on she crawled under the heavy woollen covers trying to pretend that Severus was here with her and not in a school that had proved that it was no longer safe. 

In all honesty these attacks had scared Hermione on many levels. One was of course the fact that the illusion of safety in Hogwarts was shattered. The wards that she thought so powerful were down and now the threat of being attacked again in an unprepared moment hung over all their heads until Voldemort was defeated. The second reason was that she had seen the massive amount of green light which always indicated a killing curse. She felt very sad and hurt knowing some of her fellow students were killed tonight or severely wounded. She wondered who would not be able to graduate this year for the simply fact that a crazed Death Eater had killed him or her. 

The third was very different since it had shaken her foundation. She had never seen Severus killing anybody. Not the actual act, in that vision she had knew he had killed that poor man, but in the study she had seen him cast the Killing Curse. She had felt the cold hatred in her being and the toll such a curse took on Severus. The thought that her loving husband who had saved her friends and cat was capable of feeling these amounts of negative emotions was threatening and numbing.

Crookshanks? Where was he by the way? She had placed him on the living room floor downstairs but then she had totally forgotten about him.

"Crooks?" she whispered and heard an answering meow from the side of the large bed. After  a second he jumped onto her chest and curled up there purring softly. Sighing Hermione caressed him shortly and then drifted into a restless sleep.

**************************************************************************

Albus sat in the now empty great hall on one of the chairs that weren't destroyed in tonight's attack and stared at the litter of destroyed decorations spread all over the place, tables were splintered and the orange remains of the pumpkins smeared all over the walls. Bending down to the floor he picked up a pink piece of pink fabric and for some reason this drove home what had happened here tonight.

Sighing he leaned back against the wooden chair and closing his eyes he tried to understand and truly grasp what had happened tonight, that some of his students died while under his protection. The thought caused a bitter piercing pain through his being and he pressed the gaudy pink piece of taffeta against his chest.

Hearing footsteps and hoping it would be Severus he opened his eyes but found the lean figure of Remus Lupin crossing the hall with a dead serious expression on his face that seemed to have erased his gentle smile forever. _Another victim,_ Albus thought wearily.

"Albus, I just talked with Tonks. Obviously the wards were taken down from inside the castle." More lines seemed to have etched themselves into his face.

The headmaster sighed already feeling a headache approaching.

"I see."

"Do you think it might have been Bloodwen Snape?" Remus asked softly.

"She wouldn't be strong enough to do something like that alone, Remus" Albus whispered.

Lupin's eyes widened shortly. "You think…"

"Yes," Albus stated calmly, "No doubt only somebody as powerful as Salazar Slytherin would able to make the wards fall and prevent me from realizing it soon enough."

"He sacrificed our students for his foolish pureblood-faith?" Remus seemed incredulous.

"Another mistake that has been due to me, no doubt." Albus got up slowly. "I always thought that the rules were clear in this war but alas it seems I was terribly mistaken."

The two men stepped down the hall past the ghosts who were still huddled in one of the corners of the room talking softly.

"Have you talked with Severus already?" Remus wondered.

"Not yet. I hope that he returns soon so that I can explain the situation in time."

Remus looked at his headmaster with a concerned gaze. "In time?"

Another sigh could be heard. "In time, yes. He has a burning temper under all this calm demeanour and he won't take it lightly that I placed him and Hermione in danger for so long without telling them." 

***************************************************************************

The next morning found Hermione still alone in the big bed and even Crookshanks had deserted her by now. Yawning she got up and after some searching found dark robe which appeared a bit large for her but she put it on nevertheless. Carefully she opened the door and stepped outside into a surprisingly warm hallway where obviously Slinky had already changed the paintings. Now beautiful landscapes filled the walls framed with richly carved wood.

Carefully Hermione listened outside one of the other rooms where she knew Ginny had been sleeping but no noise could be heard. Either they were already downstairs or judging from the semi-darkness outside were still sleeping. Not wanting to wake them up she descended the stairs and to her delight the house didn't play anymore tricks on her as she reached the main entrance hall that she had been through yesterday.

Hesitating where to go from her she was surprised to find Harry coming out of one of the rooms still clad in a dark silken pyjama. He grinned awkwardly when he saw her and pointed at the steaming cup he held in his hand.

"Want some coffee, Hermione?"

She nodded and followed into a room that looked like it was a large kitchen but with strangely little equipment. Only some cupboards were there and an old stove which looked ancient. Instead of trying to make the coffee himself Harry stepped to the large stove and opened a little door.

"One coffee please."

And to Hermione's surprise a big pot of steaming liquid appeared on the top of the stove. 

"Snape explained this to me before he left this morning," Harry elaborated.

Getting her cup and following Harry outside Hermione asked: "Have you seen him? When?"

"At around six when I came down." He looked a bit sheepish. "I had trouble sleeping and decided to not bother the others. But he had to leave soon after I came down."

"Where to?"

"He wouldn't say," Harry said shrugging his shoulders. "Maybe back to Hogwarts. He didn't look too good anyway. Like he hasn't slept at all. Didn't say much either, just sat in the living room staring into space."

They had reached the living room in this moment and Hermione sat down in the green arm chair curling up into a ball and Harry made himself comfortable on one of the couches. He looked paler than usual and his hair stood wildly in all directions. 

"You okay, Harry?" Hermione asked.

"As okay as I can be," he replied. 

Hermione leaned back into the soft material and closed her eyes. "I hope everything is alright in Hogwarts."

Harry nodded. "Snape said that the wards were up again and he told me that there were some students had been hurt quite badly. Didn't want to say anything more."

The bushy-haired girl opened her eyes with a sharp look. "I saw that they used the killing curse, Harry." She sounded almost scared.

"I know, I saw it myself." The boy gripped the arm rests. "I think that students are dead."

Hermione gulped and closed her eyes again. There was nothing to say but the thought of maybe Padma or Lavender killed was almost unbearable. They weren't best friends but still it hurt on a level she couldn't explain to herself. 

In this moment they heard angry voices from the hallway and in the next moment Snape entered the room followed by Remus Lupin. 

"… didn't think it was necessary to inform me at all and now he wants to talk with me after OUR LAST DISCUSSION?!" Snape barked as he stepped into the room his face scrunched into a mask of fury.

When they saw the two students sitting in the sitting area they stopped dead. 

"Good morning," Remus stated calmly and even managed a short smile. "Maybe you should ask Hermione what she thinks about this, Severus. It's as much _her business_ as yours. You have no right to make a decision without her consent." He stared into the angry eyes of his colleague.

"Don't try to make her a part of this talk, Remus," Snape hissed.

Hermione frowned and got up placing her cup carefully on the table. Stepping closer to the two men she gently placed on hand on Severus' arm.

"What are you arguing about, Severus?" she requested calmly.

He sighed and turned to her gazing into her amber eyes. "There is so much you don't know Hermione. So much nobody cared to tell us." He sounded more hurt than anything else. "I know Albus never told you what this prophecy was about. He never told me either."

Hermione shortly gazed into Lupin's pleading eyes and was astounded to find understanding there as well. 

"But he told you now, right?" she enquired.

Severus laughed bitterly. "Oh no, Minerva couldn't bear it any longer and decided to tell me about this damn prophecy. Of course Albus couldn't be bothered to tell me when last night your life was in severe danger because of that stupid prophecy."

Hermione inhaled sharply. "So, the Death Eaters attacked because of me?"

Lupin decided it was time to intervene. He wasn't pleased with Albus' decision but had accepted it.

"Not really Hermione and so far we haven't had the chance to find out what happened exactly. But Severus can't resign because of that, Hogwarts and the Order need him now more than ever."

"You have resigned?" she asked clearly shocked.

He turned around and crossed his arms. "I can't forgive him this Hermione…and my loyalties were exposed last night. I am afraid I am no longer safe at the school."

She frowned, and gripped his arms are more tightly. "But what is the prophecy about really?"

Lupin looked dead serious. "We are not really clear about that as well since most of these prophecies are done in a way to conceal their true meaning. But Bloodwen Snape and Salazar Slytherin challenged Professor Dumbledore to decide once and for all what the relationship between muggles and the magical world should be like. If muggle-borns should be a part of our world or not. Your relationship to Severus should be able to decide this but what exactly that meant and how you would decide was never clear."

The dark haired girl chewed on her lip and then looked up. 

"I can't say I am happy with Professor Dumbledore's decision of not telling us but-" she turned to her husband staring into his eyes unwavering. "I can understand it. I am sure he had his reasons for not telling us." 

Remus smiled slightly; it didn't quite reach his eyes. "I am glad you find it in you to not harbour any grudges like him," he said gazing at the still sulking  potions Master.

Hermione sighed. "I understand Severus as well, Professor Lupin. But I also know one thing: We have to return to Hogwarts."

"And I have no say in it?" Severus asked clearly not happy.

"Of course you have." She smiled gently. "But he is right you know-" she said pointing at Lupin. "Especially the Hogwarts students need you now. Nobody knows so much about the Dark Arts as you and Professor Lupin. If you don't return because of your headmaster, you have to return to protect the students."

He stared into the slowly brightening room and then uncrossed his arms.

"You always were a terrible know-it-all, Hermione."

She smiled tentatively and nodded curtly.

"And as usual you are right." He turned to Lupin sighing deeply. "Tell Albus I return under the condition that this time we have a say in this battle."

Lupin nodded and smiled gratefully. "I have absolutely no doubt that you will have. Now that you know about the prophecy we have to see how everything proceeds."

"When will classes continue, Remus?" Snape asked.

"I would say no sooner than a week or two. We had some casualties and the Aurors want to search the school grounds again. Why?" 

"It would be best for Hermione and her friends if they stayed here until Hogwarts is completely safe again. Snape Manor is protected with Dark Magic and I highly doubt that any Death Eaters dares to enter as things are right now." Snape grinned maliciously.

Lupin nodded. "That sounds like a reasonable suggestion; I ask Albus and return here later." With that he flashed a much happier smile at Hermione and Harry and disapparated.

Snapes gazed at Harry and grinned in a way that made the boy quite uneasy. It wasn't as if he had any inclination to think that the Slytherin hated him less than before he married his best friend.

"If I remember correctly Hermione mentioned that you wanted to take chess lessons with me?" he enquired in a silken voice.

Harry nodded mutely glancing at his best friend who had already stepped to one of the book-filled shelves. 

_So no help from her, he thought with despair._

Snape pointed to the large chess board invitingly. "Well, we can start now Potter if you feel up to it." It was clearly a challenge in his voice.

Harry glared at the potions Master with barely disguised anger.

"I don't need anybody else to show off while defeating me. Thank you, I get that once a week in the common room," he hissed.

Snape did something he had never done before- he smiled honestly amused. 

"Don't worry, I promise you, you will learn much in this class, Potter." He walked over to the board and sitting down in one of the arm chairs, he motioned for Harry to do the same. After a short moment of hesitation he followed Snape and sat down across from him.

With a flick of his wand Snape cleared the board and placed his hand on the now empty chess board. "Place your hand on your side of the board, Potter!"

Again he glanced at Hermione and found her standing next to the board nodding at him with an encouraging smile. He did as instructed and suddenly the board felt warm under his skin. Looking up at Snape he saw that he had placed his wand on the table.

To his surprise a soft tickling sensation spread through Harry's body and he saw a white king appear on the board who wore a Gryffindor robe. He saluted to the boy and went over to shake hands with a black king wearing Slytherin robes. In the next moment both Harry's and Snape's hands flew away from the board. One moment later the chess board was filled with the queens, the tower, the pawns and all the other chessmen who took their positions on the now glowing board. 

Snape took off his black robes and leaned back in his chair with Hermione sitting on his arm rest leaning against him. She watched the board with an amused flicker over her face.

The black king looked up into Snapes direction as if asking for permission to begin.

"Chessmen, move and begin!" Snape said and the board seemed to glow even brighter for a moment until the kings had took their starting place. 

"White makes the first move, Potter." Snape raised a brow. "But chose wisely because every time you lose a piece to me, you will feel the consequences."

Before Harry had time to ask what those consequences exactly were his own king turned towards him and scowled.

"Come on, we haven't got all day!"

The boy nodded and praying to whomever might listen to not make the biggest mistake of his life, he made his first move.

_I want to thank some wonderful people at WIKTT who helped my beta Carrie with the prophecy: Dame Niamh, who wrote half of the prophecy text and Crooked Cat who gave Carrie a Chaucer reference. Thank you guys and this chapter is dedicated to you._

_Of course as always special credit goes to Carrie who did the prophecy herself and what an amazing job she did with it. Thank you my girl. _

_I had already written the next chapter but I changed things again and now this chapter has a different ending. The last part has not been beta'd so please excuse any spelling or grammar mistakes._

_I hope you like Snape Manor, Slinky and the chess board as much as I do. BTW I play chess myself so I am aware of the game's rules. More from Bloodwen, Salazar and Hogwarts next chapter. Please review if you like. Remember, the comments make me write faster._


	23. 23 Checkmate

_My account at fanfiction.net has been locked for three days because I had two chapters filled with non-fiction in this story. I apologize for any inconvience and no, there haven't been any chapters taken down, they simply deleted the two chapters with notes. _

_As always this was wonderfully beta'd by the very talented Carrie. Hope you like. _

**23. [ Checkmate ]**

Hermione winced as she saw Harry flinching after his now literally fuming knight had given him another sharp blow via the wandless magic inherent in the chessboard. The two little figures of the knights, black and white and wearing their robes, were simply cruel,  administering their punishment. When Harry had almost lost his queen to Snape, the knight had not only raged on about that for three minutes but simply walked to the edge of the board, and suddenly extended his arm beyond human natural limits arrogantly slapped Harry across on his face.

After that Harry took more time with his moves, while in the meantime Snape had summoned Slinky for a tray of strong  breakfast tea, warm waffles, and syrup. The elf had avoided Hermione's eyes as in a hope to prevent her from insulting his Master with more of her suggestions about appropriate elf treatment. Hermione sat next to her husband's arm chair, her head leaned against his black covered leg and his right hand absent-mindedly played with her brown curls. By now Ginny had awoken as well and she was sitting on Harry's arm rest, chewing on a waffle giving him all kinds of advice while pointing at pieces and squares on the board.

Through the necklace Hermione felt the little jolts and snaps Snape got from his knight when he made a mistake and while it didn't really hurt, it was extremely uncomfortable, like sticking a fork into an electrical outlet. It was a feeling that shot through the whole body and it wasn't something that you cared to get all the time. It was Harry's turn right now and he extended his hand as if to move his bishop.

"I would reconsider this," said Snape sternly and Harry snapped back his hand.

After what felt like an eternity he looked up to his most hated teacher and frowned.

"Why?"

Snape raised an eyebrow.  Then sarcastically stated, "Oh, just because I assumed you weren't really caring for another piece of punishment from your knight." He took a sip from his tea and then placed the cup back on the table. "If you move your bishop in this manner, I have you check-mated in two more moves."

Harry chewed on his lip and then extended his hand to move his tower. This time his knight turned around and raised a brow. His voice sounded harsh and strict, somehow it remembered Hermione of Severus' father in its tone.

"Come on, we haven't got all day, boy!" The horse trampled on his white square and the knight hissed. "And you would think that after defeating Lord Voldemort so many times he would know how to wage a war!"

Hermione stared into Harry's stunned face and then saw the anger replacing the perplexed look. He moved the tower and instantly flinched.

Snape smiled thinly. "This way you will lose every time and not make an ounce of progress in learning to play chess." He moved his bishop and took Harry's last tower. "Check."

The white knight was now livid with fury his whole little body shaking. He moved from his place on the board to Harry's side and the boy leaned back as if expecting another attack. Instead the knight stared at him and his voice was barely a hiss.

"Now, see where we are now. See where your temper and thoughtlessness got us. One move away from being defeated. I have never seen a worse chess player than you; I have seen so much carelessness and lack of tactic. I am usually played by better players like Albus Dumbledore or Remus Lupin. But you are simply incapable of winning a simple game of chess!" 

With this he turned around and stormed back to his place ignoring Harry. The boy gazed shortly at Snape but got only a sneering grin from there. He sighed softly and moved his queen. A furious hiss was all he got from his knight plus another jolt through his body. Snape carefully moved his queen, took Harry's and placed his own in front of Harry's knight.

"Checkmate."

The board shortly glowed again and then the pieces became inanimate which stopped quite effectively Harry's knight who had begun to curse the boy. Snape leaned back and fixed Harry's gaze with his own.

"Chess is a game of strategy, cool thinking and lack of emotion. As I have already told you once before your lack of controlling your emotions is what hinders you to think with the little brain you have." At this Hermione poked him in his leg. He continued however. "Normal chess boards don't let you know how unpleased they are with your mistakes. This chess board does. If you want to learn how to be a better chess player, examine your feelings, control them and then you might start making wiser choices."

Harry stared at the board in contemplating silence and Snape took another sip of his tea carefully massaging Hermione's neck with his right hand. 

In the next moment they heard a loud echoing scream from the hall outside and as in one all four jumped up and hurried out of the room. There the scene was similar to last night, only this time Neville was trapped not in a painting but a grandfather's clock with his head being where the clock face normally would be. His eyes were wide spread open and Ron stood leaning against the stairway tears running down his face with laughter.  

Snape leaned against the doorframe clearly not intending to get Neville out of his predicament until Hermione nudged him in his side.

"Get him out!"

Snape gazed at her thoughtfully for a moment, smiled, and then shook his head. "No."

"Why?" Hermione asked clearly perplexed.

"I can't." Snape pointed with his wand in the direction of Neville in his clock and nothing happened. "He has to wait till the clock decides to let him go."

Neville began to whimper and Ginny stared at her potions teacher in shock. "But when will that be?"

Snape shrugged. "Shouldn't be too long. It never is. Mr Longbottom should be freed within an hour."

Ginny stood next to the clock trying to calm Neville with her voice. Ron stepped to Harry wiping his eyes.

"This guy just can't keep his hands to himself. Second time trapped in an object. I won't touch anything in here until it is declared safe to do so." He grinned and then obviously noticed Harry's glum face. "What's wrong?"

Harry shrugged his shoulders. "Nothing really. Just thinking." They stayed silent for a moment until Snape cleared his throat.

"You can move freely in the whole building; however I wouldn't recommend visiting the dungeons. We not only have very cruel ghosts there who put the Bloody Baron to shame but also all kinds of creatures that you have already encountered."

"Like what?" asked Hermione curiously.

Snape thought for a second. "Doxies, boggarts, quite a few spiders and if I am not mistaken we have a little troll down there. Just stay away  there and you should be fine."

Ron nudged Harry carefully gone white with the reference of the spiders. "Say Harry, fancy a game of Exploding Snap?"

Harry nodded and after another look at the black figure of Snape they climbed the stairs while Ginny had obviously summoned Slinky who tried to help her in getting some pumpkin juice inside the clock for Neville to drink.

Snape gently placed his hand on Hermione's shoulder.

"Would you be interested if I escorted you to our library? It is bigger than the one in Hogwarts and has many books that you might find interesting."

Hermione smiled genuinely pleased. "That would be great."

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Hermione began to learn that Severus had a gift for understatement.  The library was indeed a bigger one than Hermione had ever seen in her whole life, well maybe not the largest but there were clearly at least ten thousand books by her quick calculations. Not only that but the room was very comfortable with a large fireplace and a cosy sitting area again in the Slytherin colours of green and silver. The room radiated a strange kind of silence and even coldness but it was perfect to learn here.  The room had a 20-foot ceiling panelled in dark wood with enchanted chandeliers, and there were aisles of books all in covered shelving.  The bookshelves were all enchanted to bring the desired shelf to eye level, so this library required no ladders. True to the Snape's meticulous nature, this library was rather well organized by Wizards' standards, arranged by subject and author. Towards the back she could hear some whispering from an aisle of warded books that reminded her of the restricted section. 

Hermione took both of Severus' hands in hers and gazed up at him, "This simply amazing, Severus. I love this place, I can't believe I am allowed to even touch these books."   

Snape laughed at her excitement and said, "It is all yours, go take a look."

She excitedly moved to one of the shelves and tilted her head to the side trying to read the many titles and understand the organized layout. The section where she was had to do with herbology and Hermione couldn't help but think that Neville would love to read some of these books. Turning around she saw that her husband had stepped to the fireplace, had lighted it and was now moving into the shadows on the other side leaning against the corner of the room, quietly observing her.

Hermione continued to walk the library for ten minutes, but she felt the necklace pulling her away from the books.  So she started back glancing at the books on the shelves of the back wall leading toward the fireplace and the corner where her husband was in deep thought.

Stepping next to him she carefully stretched her arms until she could hug him and buried her face in his again formal robe. The buttons were cold against her cheek and if she concentrated heavily she could feel his heat radiating from his body. 

Her voice was muffled when she spoke. "Are you alright?"

For a moment he was silent but then he moved both of them to the sitting area and pulled Hermione on his lap. 

"I am not sure you want an honest answer, my dear," he whispered in her ear gently caressing the skin on her neck which made shivers run down her back. "These days questions like these are meant to be answered politely, an appealing affirmation and then we separate our ways again."

Hermione gently cupped his cheek glad when he moved into her touch.

"But you know I always wanted an honest answer, didn't you ?" she softly enquired carefully as if not to startle him moving her hands from his cheek to his neck and  began to gently ruffle his hair there.

He opened his eyes and burned them into her amber ones with a gaze that was meant to reach to her soul.

"You can never be sure of something just because it so far has never been done. People might surprise you one day with a behaviour you thought impossible a second ago." He leaned closer to her body and began to gently place feather light kisses on the soft cream-coloured skin of her shoulder hidden under the green velvet.

She closed her eyes and enjoyed the soft ministrations for a while but then remembered why she asked in the first place. Resolutely she pushed him away from her skin and smiled gently.

"You are trying to distract me, Severus?" A slight laughter rang in her voice.

He tilted his head looking adorably guilty all in a sudden with his black hair falling down his shoulders and a shine in his deep onyx eyes.

"I thought it was working, maybe I lost my touch," he muttered plainly teasing her.

"Maybe I have simply learned something in the last few weeks," she replied a wide smile broadening on her face. "Maybe you used too many of your tactics and now I am able to resist you." The challenge clearly rang in her voice.

"I sincerely doubt that," he stated firmly. "If I wanted to seduce you right here on this wooden table I could."

She leaned closer to him kissing him warmly on the lips and then gently flicked her tongue over the skin behind his ear making him gasp with surprise. "And maybe I could as well."

The sound of his soft laughter was heaven to her. But soon he quieted and Hermione knew that they had to talk about this matter. Now was probably a good time since they were alone and only heavens knew when in the next days that could be repeated.

"Severus, Albus Dumbledore is still your friend." Her voice was soft and deep stating this with utmost sincerity, while taking his hand in hers.

"Who said I was talking about him," he said his voice sounding colder than a second ago all traces of laughter and playfulness gone warning her that this was dangerous territory. He started crushing her hand without realizing it. She squeezed back.

She frowned shortly. "I am not stupid, you know? You think he betrayed your trust with not telling you all about this prophecy. You think he endangered our lives without needing to and you think that maybe he never completely trusted you in the first place and this matter simply shows that."

His face was unreadable now as he raised one of his brows. She felt him stiffen and he took away his hand. She couldn't help but feel that the old distance was back and fading warmth from her necklace showed the truth of that more clearly than anythin else.

"Well, you can't blame me for not liking it when so crucial information is kept hidden from me although he knew that my own happiness, my life and yours was concerned." He gently pushed her from his lap and got up, pacing in front of the table his voice rising in volume with each word. "My life is constantly on the line Hermione, and what do I get for it? Deceit, distrust and hate, that's it. I am sick of it but-" He inhaled, "I accepted this as part of my punishment. I knew it would be hard to prove to people that they could trust me again, a redeemed Death Eater is unheard of because they are dead and I even went so far as to accept that maybe the majority of the magical world would never completely accept my apology and wish I was among the dead." He sharply turned around and stared into her eyes his own troubled and finally showing all his true emotions. "All of that doesn't matter you know, because I knew there was one person who had been the first to trust me when nobody else would have done so, the first to hug me in my whole life, Hermione. I thought Albus Dumbledore trusted me, I thought he had accepted all my sacrifices, the things I gave up on for spying for his Order without getting any recognition for it- _I thought he loved me." The last was barely whispered and after the shouting it seemed to almost vanish without having been heard._

Before Hermione could react she heard a soft voice from the door that rang with deep regret and sorrow.

"I do, Severus. And I am sorry that I gave you reason to doubt that," Dumbledore said his eyes resting on the tall dark figure of his Potions Master.

Severus inhaled sharply and turned away from his mentor, friend and surrogate father. His arms crossed over his chest as if keeping his emotions in check and he stepped to a large window gazing into a wild garden full of trees that were rapidly loosing their leaves. A mass of red and yellow covering the ground. _Gryffindor colors, _he thought angrily.

Dumbledore turned to a troubled Hermione and smiled gently.

"I am sorry you have to bear things that are clearly not meant for you to carry, my dear. Can you accept my apologies for that?"

Hermione nodded mutely and he stepped to her and placed his hand on her shoulder.

"Maybe you want to join your friend Ginny Weasley as she is currently tending to Mr Longbottom's well-being and let me have the talk that seems overdue." 

Again she simply nodded and with another concerned look at the old headmaster and her husband she left into the hall.

"I am glad you decided to reconsider your notice, Severus."

Snape sneered. "Well that is due to my wife who pointed out that I have not only a responsibility to you but to the school and to the students there as well. I surely didn't change my mind about you and your behaviour, Albus." He sounded deeply hurt.

Dumbledore sighed. "That makes two then. Alas, maybe the late Lucius Malfoy was right and I am really loosing my touch."

Snape turned around and faced the bearded men. "What makes two?" 

"Two people who trusted me completely and whose trust I have managed to break. And it's most ironic that they are the people I meant to protect and not hurt." Dumbledore sat down in one arm chair and leaned back. His face looked unusually pale this morning, the lines more pronounced than ever and his eyes behind their half-moon spectacles seemed almost black instead of the usual blue, showing nothing but regret and a faint tinge of fear. "Don't you want to know who the other person but you is?"

Snape snarled shortly. "You will tell me anyhow so does it really matter what I want?" The bitterness rang deeply in his voice.

Dumbledore gazed into his eyes as if trying to see to the bottom of his soul.

"It matters to me and has always done so, Severus. I am deeply sorry that you feel that this hasn't been the case but it is nevertheless true. So what is your answer? Are you willing to hear me out, listen to what I have to say or will you simply send me away and be done with it?" Now the fear was clearly etched into his face as he waited for an answer..

Snape stared at him for a second and then sat down in an arm chair far away from the old man.

"Tell," he uttered shortly.

Dumbledore exhaled softly, the fear of not knowing how Severus would decide gone from his still tired features.

"It might surprise you Severus but the other person whose trust I betrayed was the very boy that you played chess with this morning, the very boy who I assume has finally understood your warning about keeping his emotions in check." A slight smile tugged at Dumbledore's lips.

"Potter," Snape hissed. "Who else? Precious Potter." 

"I always thought it was understandable why you despise the boy so much even  though I can only repeat that he is not to blame for other's misbehaviours. Harry is not James or Sirius and while I always accepted your less than friendly attitude toward the boy I must say I always found it extremely surprising that you didn't consider him just as precious."

"Why should I when everybody else already lets him get away with breaking rules, with risking not only his own life but that of his friends? Somebody had to educate him in more than just potions and transfigurations. He will face Lord Voldemort one day in a final battle and he has to be prepared for this or he won't stand a chance. I am no fool Albus, I know exactly what Harry Potter's life is worth these days but that doesn't make me lose sight of his vices." Snape's face was filled with more emotions than the old headmaster had ever seen except on that one fateful night so many years ago when a very young Severus had changed sides.

"I always wondered but however that may be it is not why I have mentioned Harry here." Dumbledore folded his hands neatly in his lap. His face was clouded with sorrow as he remembered. "Last year when Harry returned from the Ministry after his fight there with Voldemort I had to tell him about the prophecy regarding him and Neville. I had not told him in all these years and in retrospect I sometimes wonder why. It would have been easy to explain things and arm and prepare him but I chose to keep silent and kept him in the dark. Naturally he was not very pleased with this and I am not sure today how he feels about that. But do you have any idea why I didn't tell him?"

Snape shrugged his shoulders.

Dumbledore smiled thinly. "Compassion Severus. I wanted to give him the opportunity to grow up without any of these things colouring his days. He has been robbed off so many, so many things that Voldemort took from him that fateful night that I wanted to save something of his innocence. Of course I never considered that finally this could prove fatal for others but the point is besides admitting that I made a terrible mistake that I did it not out of lack of love but because I loved too much." 

For a second they both kept silent until Snape spoke up with clear sarcasm clouding his voice.

"So that means that you loved me too much to tell me about the prophecy, because you doubted that I could burden this?"

"No, not really." Dumbledore shook his voice. "I doubted that Hermione could manage this burden but I simply was unsure how you would react, Severus. First I had no idea who the girl would turn out to be and later when I saw her being sorted into Gryffindor I was simply scared that telling you would alter things too much. You despised her Severus and I couldn't risk you refusing to love her just because you knew about that development. It was maybe foolish, maybe wrong but at the time I thought it was for the best. I truly believed that my silence was making things easier for you two." He sighed. "Alas, apparently I was wrong and I can only apologize for that Severus but all men are fallible and I am unfortunately no exception. However I want to make it clear that it was not lack of trust that made me hesitate to tell you. I always was more than proud of you and I love you as if you were my own son."

For another moment the two men stared into each other's eyes until Dumbledore sighed once again.

"I understand that asking for forgiveness is too much too soon and I will never rush you but I must insist that you and the children return to Hogwarts as soon as we managed to strengthen the wards some more. Right now they are safest here in the Manor but I have to make sure that they continue their education and Hogwarts needs its Potions Master."

Snape nodded curtly. "Just tell me when the wards are ready and I return immediately. If I can be of help don't hesitate to call me and I will return."

Dumbledore nodded in return a small smile tugging on his lips.

"I think we will manage but I was reconsidering putting some more complex spells around Hogwarts and maybe you could be of assistance there. I am even so far as if to consider asking some Aurors to come and protect the students all the time."

The potions Master looked stunned. "But didn't you always insist that the Aurors weren't to intervene in the school?"

"Times change and so do choices." Dumbledore looked grave. "We lost twelve students last night and that simply can't happen again. We owe it to our students that they are protected in the castle. I cannot risk another attack with maybe more disastrous results. Maybe I will let you work with Alastar to detect any weak spots in the castle's protection."

"Have you figured out yet how the Death Eaters could have entered the castle?" Snape asked.

"I have some strong ideas but I need Hermione and you back in Hogwarts to contact the ghosts of Bloodwen and Salazar. I can't find the hidden chamber in the dungeons by myself and they haven't yet contacted me." The trace of sorrow was back in his eyes.

"Can I be present when she faces the two?" asked Snape.

"Sure, you have as much right to be there as Hermione.  I was planning on joining her myself," Dumbledore replied.

Snape flashed his most malicious grin baring his teeth. "Good, because I have to talk with those two, I want to make some points clear." He gripped his wand tightly. "And then I can't wait until I am to face Bellatrix again. I have an idea who planned that attack."

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Salazar sulking was nothing new, not these days and Bloodwen felt an unknown source of anger inside at the founder. Why was she to do all the work, when she was fighting his battle, when all he did was sulk and mutter darkly under his breath? It wasn't her fault that the attack hadn't worked out and she was tired of getting all the blame. In all honesty she was quite tired of this whole battle when it was by now obvious that her descendant loved this muggleborn girl with all his heart and nothing they did, could or would change that. It was a useless prolonging of a fight that had cost far too many lives already, the deaths of the twelve students still fresh and clear in her mind.

It had hurt to see those young hopeful children die, to see how a simple curse stole their life energy and the way their bodies slumped to the hard floor. She had wondered more than once last night if it was really worth it, if the question whether muggles and magic folk should work together would not rather been proven by the future instead of being decided over two people's love. Long since gone was the faith that she was on the right side, considering that people like Riddle and Malfoy were on her side. Well, not really Malfoy since he was dead now but Bellatrix. That mad woman was currently crying tears of hatred and anger in her little room not caring for one second that children had died.

She sighed and changed the picture in the enchanted mirror to a blue hazy mist that couldn't make the headache any worse that she currently suffering from. Never in all her years as a living being had had she felt like this, so completely unsure about her faith and convictions. Maybe she should stop worrying about these things for a second and rather visit Bellatrix to distract her mind from the possibility of defeat. An evil grin matching the potions Master's most vicious grin in class when bullying Neville Longbottom appeared on her even features. Oh yes, this day couldn't be wasted completely. Why not have some amusement instead?

Looking back one last time she gazed at the dark figure of Salazar Slytherin in his throne currently hissing quiet insults about the little muggleborn witch. It was a shame what the centuries had done to this man, when once he had been a most feared wizard and wise leader. Now he was only a shadow of himself. With a  long sigh Bloodwen disappeared from the chamber.

***************************************************************************

By the time Hermione reached the hall Neville was climbing out of the huge clock trying not to get caught in of the strange hooks that framed its door. He looked very relieved and Ginny began instantly to re-arrange his cloak that looked worse the wear right now. In some places it was ripped apart and huge amounts of dust were splashed over the black material.

"I see, you got free at least," Hermione mentioned as she got nearer and tried to suppress the grin that was tugging on the corners of her mouth. It looked quite hilarious the way Neville stood in the huge hall next to the quiet innocent looking clock and Ginny was brushing dust off his body muttering quietly to herself. She reminded Hermione so much of Molly Weasley in that moment that for a second she wondered whether Ginny could have a crush on Neville. But then there had been weirder couples, you just had to look at her and Severus. If somebody had told her at the end of last year that she would married to Severus Snape come Halloween she would have dismissed this with an impatient snort. Maybe love wasn't so much about what seemed reasonable but about what was possible. 

Neville grinned self-consciously. "It seems it's always me who gets trapped in those things."

Ginny straightened instantly. "But that's not true, Neville. I mean everybody could have gotten trapped in this clock, right Hermione?"

Hermione inhaled and was saved from an answer by Ron who followed Harry down the stairs obviously arguing about something with the other boy. His voice sounded excited.

"…It's her house as well and I think she should know what the old git hides in his house. I mean Harry have you seen what was inside there, I highly doubt the Ministry of Magic would approve of one item we saw and I think we-" At point he had marched into Harry who stopped at the last stair seeing his best friend. 

"Hi Mione."

She raised a brow. "Hi, you two. What are you talking about? I sincerely hope not about my husband, Ron?" Her voice was sharp around the edges which made the red-haired boy blush.

"Eh, not really, I mean maybe in some parts…. oh come on Mione, you know how I mean those…"

"Insults?" Ginny offered.

"Right!" Ron agreed but then flinched when the saw the anger in Hermione's face. "Eh no, more like names you know, instead of calling him Snape all the time I simply like some variety at times." He was apparently pleased with his explanation and grinned.

Harry who saw the way in which Hermione was moving her jaw which usually indicated that she was about to yell, decided to change the subject. Those two would probably never stop bickering their newest topic being Snape and while he was still not sure how to feel about the fact that Hermione loved him, he wasn't so foolish as too argue with her about her feelings.

"Ehm, maybe you would be interested in what we found upstairs, Mione?"

The bushy haired girl turned to him abruptly as if deciding that Ron wasn't worth her attention.

"What exactly are you talking about, Harry?"

But before the boy could answer her, the door to the library opened and Snape stepped out Moody and Lupin in two. At the sight of the five children they stopped and Lupin smiled gently.

"Good to see you all."

Snape sneered at Neville which reminded everybody forcefully of potions classes.

"I see my clock decided to let you go, Mr Longbottom," he said with irony tripping from his voice.

The boy nodded trying not to lose the staring duel with his potions teacher and in return Snape raised one brow in surprise. For some reason Neville blushed and averted his gaze. Lupin looked at Harry expectantly. 

"What were you talking about Harry?"

Harry gulped audibly not sure whether to tell Lupin was a good idea but Hermione motioned him to continue.

"Ehm, Ron and me found a room upstairs that contains many, eh strange looking items."

Lupin raised a brow in obvious interest. "Oh really? What kind of items?"

"Dark Arts," mumbled Harry silently.

"Potter, if you want anybody to understand you, you should separate your jaws more than an inch," Snape hissed.

"I said, I think those items looked like they were things used in the Dark Arts," stated Harry clearly staring at his teacher with defiance.

Moody's magical eyes moved to the ceiling and he stared at Snape with his other eye.

"Interesting Snape. Care to show us those items?"

Snape shrugged, then said with bored detachment, "If you are really interested in them, but I have to warn you not to touch them without checking for spells and curses. Some of the things in this house are dangerous as our Mr. Longbottom has already learned." The last was clearly directed at the children.

Moody grinned shortly. "Don't worry, I can smell curses two feet apart. We shouldn't have any trouble." He began to climb the stairs with surprising agility. "Maybe we find something to use in the further protection of the castle. You never know." Harry, Ron, Ginny and Neville followed the two men up the stairs.

Ginny turned around to Hermione who still stood in the hall.

"You not coming?"

The girl shook her head. "No, I am not really interested much. I rather go and read something in the library."

The redhead nodded and disappeared upstairs. Lupin smiled gently. "Do you mind if I accompany you? I would love to see if the Snape library is really as impressive as everyone says."

Hermione nodded and together they crossed the hall and stepped into the library closing the door behind them. The fire was still flickering merrily and the calming odour of books and dust permeated the room.

Lupin stood in front of the closed door in his shabby looking cloak and his hair greyer than ever. He gazed around the  room that was almost as big as the great hall in Hogwarts clearly already impressed.

Hermione moved down one row of shelves and looked at the titles of the books she was passing.

"What do people say about the Snape family in general, Professor Lupin?" she said loud enough that he could hear her.

"It's Remus now please, Hermione." He followed her down the first row a few feet behind her. "They were once one of the most respected pureblood families in Britain and they weren't as crazy as the Blacks or Malfoys about blood purity and such things. They did have a deep passion for the Dark Arts and they were said to have owned the most extensive collection of Dark Arts books and artifacts. I figure that in here you find everything you ever wanted to know about this topic, more than you'd find anywhere in Britain." He carefully gripped an old looking book and his long fingers brushed over the leather back of it. "But the family's obsession was their downfall. They joined Voldemort in search of more Dark Arts knowledge and wisdom and in return all of the surviving members are now in Azkaban with the exception of your husband."

Hermione was flipping through a book that was about giants. "I figure they are not a very popular family?"

Lupin sighed. "Not these days, no. But there were times when they were one of backbones of the house of Slytherin and our Ministry. Did you know that Severus' great-grandfather was Minister of Magic and many Snapes were in top positions at the Ministry before Voldemort rose for the first time. It was once a very respected but not really popular family. Many people were scared of the Snapes, of their knowledge in the Dark Arts and their fortune. Look at Severus for example- he knew more Dark Arts spells than any seventh year student when he arrived at Hogwarts. It's a real demonstration of his control that he never used any Dark Magic on James or Sirius when they bullied him."

The girl looked up and locked her gaze with the other man. "Did they really bully him that much?"

Lupin nodded sadly. "Yes, they did. Granted, Severus never liked James or Sirius and he gave them both a hard time when they were playing pranks but surely they shouldn't have bullied him as much as they did. I blame myself for not restraining them more, for not using my influence on them more perhaps things could have been prevented."

Hermione placed her hand on Lupin's arm. "Maybe, but maybe not. You know I thought a lot about that in the last days and the more I think about it, the more I begin to believe that pondering too much about the past is the wrong thing to do. We simply cannot change things that are done and what use is it to wonder? Maybe you would have made things worse or maybe Severus wouldn't hate Harry so much these days but what good would it do? Voldemort would have still risen, wouldn't he?"

Lupin sighed. "There is so much you don't know Hermione, so many things about your husband you don't know. His history is linked very closely to the events I am wondering about. It would have made more difference than you think, maybe not for Voldemort but certainly for Severus." When she wanted to inquire further Lupin raised his hands. "It's not my place to answer those questions but maybe you could ask your husband. You have a right to know these kinds of things and I know how hesitant Severus is in trusting people. But it is important for your future, maybe even your immediate one."

They didn't exchange another word in the next hours as they were both reading but Hermione kept asking herself the same question over and over again. _How much don't I know about his past and will it change my emotions?_

_I know another evil cliffy but you have to endure the suspense I afraid. I promise more as soon as I manage with college work amounting on my desk. I want to thank everybody who reviewed so far for their great support and keep on talking to me! Makes me write faster._


	24. 24 Family Secrets

_It seems I am back, finally. Sorry for the long absence but the updates will be on time once again._

**24. [ Family Secrets ]**

The hallway was only dimly lit with little light coming from up the stairs at the other end of the wooden floor and Harry tried in vain to make his uneasiness vanish as he stared into the semi-darkness. A bored Ron had slumped down against the wall with his head buried against his knees, Ginny was looking at a nearby painting showing a dark menacing castle and Neville stood two feet behind her apparently by now afraid of all objects inside this Manor. By now according to Harry's watch over 30 minutes had passed since Moody and Snape had stepped inside the room to investigate if there were any spells attached to any of the dark arts objects inside. 

The whole house made Harry constantly feel uneasy, as if he had to always watch his steps and look over his shoulder. Not only was it dark and creepy but it seemed everywhere he went he was reminded that this was Severus Snape's home, the same feeling that crept into his veins every time he visited the dungeons for class or detention. For his life he couldn't understand how Snape could live inside this spooky morgue of a house where paintings trapped you and dark arts objects were littered everywhere. Certain parts of the house were protected by wards which made trespassing impossible as both he and Ron and he had already encountered them after being bored with Exploding Snap. 

How long do you reckon it will take, Harry? Ron asked exasperated his voice muffled against his knees.

Harry shrugged and then taking into account that Ron couldn't see him he said, No idea.

Ginny had gripped Neville's hand, and was pulling him away from the other two boys toward a painting a little bit down the hallway while talking to him softly. The round-faced boy seemed scared and had his other hands hand deep inside his pocket.

I wonder what else is hidden inside this creepy house? Ron stared into the hallway scrunching up his nose.

Harry snorted. Judging from the owner probably loads of dark artefacts. He sank down next to his best friend and stared at his feet. I hope we can return to Hogwarts soon.

Ron nodded. Yeah, me too. I mean things around here smell of evil, you know? I mean maybe some things here are real dark devices, maybe even enchanted to kill.

I don't think so or Dumbledore wouldn't have left us here. Ginny sat down across from them against the wall, staring into her brother's face. I kind of like it here. It's very interesting, she stated calmly, tucking her red hair behind her ear.

Ron's head shot up. Interesting? Are you mad? Paintings and clocks that trap you and chess boards that talk and hurt you? Harry had told him about the chess game against Snape during their game of Exploding Snap. This place is clearly evil, Ginny.

Ginny raised a brow. I fail to see that. I mean think about Slinky. He is very nice, isn't he?

Slinky's a house elf, he has to be nice. Bet he only is as long as Snape tells him to behave. He would probably do anything to please his master. Ron shuddered.

You are completely exaggerating. Hermione said Ginny began but was interrupted by her brother's fierce voice.

Snape put a spell on her, Ginny. How else would you explain that she thinks she likes him. She probably thinks the house is a fairy tale castle and Snape's her prince charming. The thought obviously made him shudder again.

You are so childish, Ron. Ginny's face was red with anger. Just for your information, maybe Hermione loves Professor Snape, and maybe she likes it here, because it is his home. Just because you are not mature enough to understand such emotions it doesn't mean that Hermione is as well.

Before Ron could utter a single word to object, the door opened and Snape's pale face appeared inside the opening.

If you want to you can join us now but please refrain from touching anything. He gazed at Neville and the boy blushed. Slowly everybody got up and entered the room.

***************************************************************************

Hermione left Lupin in the library where he had found several rare books about werewolves and stepped inside the living room where the only light currently came from the green flames in the fireplace. Obviously it was currently connected to the floo powder network and for a moment Hermione considered using it to talk to Professor Dumbledore about the concerns Lupin brought forward in her mind. But the headmaster was probably busy repairing the wards around the castle and not in the mood to talk about her husband. 

Slowly she crossed the room and sank down in one of the comfortable arm chairs resting her head on her knees. If she was honest with herself she was feeling more insecure than she had been in a long time. 

As soon as she was trying to talk with Severus about serious matters, as soon as she tried to behave like an adult around him he reverted to his icy cold self and shut her out. He was extremely reluctant to share anything with her and had only told her things when he couldn't hide them any longer. It wasn't that she didn't understand him, she did, but that these obvious lacks of trust hurt her deep inside.

She had hoped with time passing Severus would see her as an equal partner in their relationship, not as someone weaker he had to protect. Maybe she was not yet an adult but she had earned his trust in the last weeks. And still the distance between the two of them seemed to intensify instead of shrinking. 

She looked up sighing and was startled when she found the figure of a little girl of maybe about 8 years old sitting on one of the couches. and her translucent body gave away immediately that she was a ghost. He hair was red, not at all like the Weasleys but darker, almost like very dark auburn and her complexion pale and freckled. Her green eyes were deep and penetrating and she was dressed in a simple white dress that exposed her skinny legs. Her gaze was thoughtful, like that of Luna Lovegood, not at all like a child would look as she stared at Hermione.

Uhm, hello. Hermione smiled carefully expecting maybe someone as temperamental as Moaning Myrtle. But the little girl smiled politely straightening her dress.

Hello. My name is Keara Dowling. I am dead. She sounded not at all bothered by that and her voice appeared more like she was stating a well-known fact.

I am Hermione Snape, I am alive and well, as you can see. Hermione came to stop not knowing what else to say.

Keara nodded seriously. Yes I can see that. Are you related to the current owner of this house?

Hesitating shortly Hermione nodded, not at all sure how the ghost would react. But to her relief the girl smiled honestly pleased and floated several feet into the air.

That's great, he hasn't had anybody around for a while now. Do you plan to stay for some time? she asked.

Hermione nodded again. I am Severus Snape's wife.

Keara gazed at her again obviously in deep thoughts. I never thought he wanted to marry anybody after what his father did to his mother. He has always lived a solitary existence. 

Hermione looked up suddenly. What are you talking about? Her voice was sharp.

Keara's eyes turned misty as if she was remembering something long ago. He was a terrible man, always hurting the little boy and his wife. I used to comfort him when his father was finished, back then when he hid under the stairways in the hall, over there. The ghost pointed towards the panelling. He cried an awful lot back then. So alone and so sad.

Hermione stared at the little girl with an emerging look of horror. She wasn't at all sure how much she wanted to know about Severus' father, because what she knew so far made her hate him with a vengeance. If the illusion she had seen back then through that mirror was at all like the real man, she definitely was glad he was long dead.

_Killed by your own husband. Yes, but he deserved it, didn't he_? 

He had tortured his little son, found pleasure in that pain and then he even had dared to took it one step farther and abused him, and had in the end, turned him into the man he was today. Somehow she had always assumed that his mother had been no better, had not loved her son enough to protect him from his cruel father. She had not even started thinking about the calm measured voice with which Severus had uttered the killing curse before they had left Hogwarts and the lack of remorse he was feeling at killing people he had once considered friends. Her faith in him had wavered, she had to admit and she wasn't sure how much else she could take without falling to pieces.

Still she looked up into the serene face of the ghost and forced a tentative smile on her features.

What exactly did he do to his wife and why would that affect Severus' choice? Her voice trembled slightly as if she was sure that the answer was horrible.

Keara sighed softly. He killed her, right here in this living room. Severus was twelve and he had returned from school for Christmas. It was in the early morning, he was still sleeping when the sound of screaming and mad laughter woke him up. I told him not to go but he wanted to protect his mother, I suppose. He went downstairs, quietly as if scared by his own daring and carefully opened the door. She sighed again. I had told him to stay in bed, to not see what he was about to see but Severus adored his mother, loved her with all his heart. She lay here on the rug in front of the fire place, the floo powder still in her hand, slowly sifting to the floor, the knife in her back. A lonely tear was flowing down the ghost's transparent cheek, a little sparkling pearl. His father had left, probably apparated, and the poor boy knelt next to his mother, put her head in his lap and rocked back and forth, crying silently.

Hermione felt tears running down her cheek and the piercing pain in her heart as she considered how he must have felt when he saw his dead mother lying in front of the fire place stabbed by his own father on what should have been a happy day. A cold shudder ran down her back and she pulled the bathrobe tighter around her.

Keara floated next to her and sat down on the table. I think he never forgave his father, at least he never addressed the issue when arguing with him.

Hermione stared into the flickering fire and tried to banish the unbidden pictures from her mind. 

***************************************************************************

Ron stared at the heap of bigger and smaller objects on the crimson carpet that was covering the wooden floor almost completely. It was an assortment of the most bizarre and ugly things he had ever seen. Since his father collected all kinds of muggle devices that meant something. 

A minimum of ten skulls, real ones, were placed in one corner, some of them covered in runes and red splashes- which looked suspiciously like blood. It seems skulls were used quite a lot in the Snape house since all kinds of miniatures in silver, gold, copper and lead were now resting in an ebony chest, covered on the inside with scarlet velvet. Snape had muttered something about dark rituals when Ginny had asked what they were used for.

A collection of amulets, necklaces and rings set in another smaller chest and right now Ginny and Neville sorted through them after Moody had declared them safe. Ginny giggled when she placed a silver tiara with dark red rubies on her head and wanted to look inside a large standing mirror that was covered with a black cloth. 

Snape's sharp voice cut through the room from the other side where he was leaning against the window frame.

Miss Weasley, I would not touch that if I were you!

Ginny pulled her hand back and turned around to her Potions Master. Why? What kind of mirror is this? She sounded curious more than anything else.

Snape crossed the room and passing Neville he flicked his wand freeing the boy from a choking scarf.

Curiosity killed the cat, he whispered softly and Ginny shuddered as his breath touched her neck. She could understand Hermione's attraction somehow in this moment. Snape pulled the cloth from the mirror and Ginny slowly looked inside, shrieking when she saw the picture.

It was an old woman with white hair flowing down her back, her skin furrowed and several teeth were missing from the slightly opened mouth. Her clear blue eyes were staring at her opened in fright. Slowly realisation dawned when she saw the tiara on her head and the way in which she mimicked all her movements.

That's me, isn't it? she whispered.

Snape nodded and pulled the cloth over the mirror again. It's called the _Mirror of Time_ and it has been in my family's possession for generations. Originally the mirror would suck youth from whoever looked inside it, but I changed that particular spell. So now you only see what the mirror wants to do to you but you keep your youth.

Ron stared at him open-mouthed. You keep such objects inside here? My sister could have died! 

Snape sneered. I think I told you that I already changed certain devices so that they are no longer life-threatening. You came inside her on your own accord so don't blame me for your rash decisions, Mr Weasley. 

He turned around, robes snapping against his legs as he followed Moody inside the darker part of the huge room and Ron stared hatefully after him.

I hate him! He gripped his wand tighter, the temptation to hex him overwhelming.

Ginny shook her head. Nothing happened, Ron. Don't fret, please. After all, he is making the objects safer! She turned away in a huff and sat down with Neville again sorting once again through the chest. Ron turned to his best friend, who leaned next to the door.

That bastard.

Harry shrugged. He was right, wasn't he? He didn't ask us to come in here. Harry touched his forehead gingerly and sighed. I try to find Slinky and get a headache potion. With that he turned and left the room leaving Ron fuming.

***************************************************************************

Ten minutes later Harry stepped inside the living room and found Hermione sitting on the couch staring into emptiness. His scar still throbbed and he slumped down in one of the arm chairs sighing.

Hermione looked up and instantly paled when she saw his scrunched up face. Harry, are you alright?

He shrugged. My scar hurts a bit.

Since when and have you told Professor Dumbledore? she asked quietly.

It prickled since last summer but it got worse since Halloween. He sighed and closed his eyes. I wish it would just stop. He tried to banish pictures of Sirius falling through the veil from his mind but to no avail. He rarely managed to get much sleep at night because terrible nightmares of the events in the ministry haunted him till he got up. 

Maybe you really should tell the headmaster? Hermione looked hopeful but her face fell when he shook his head. Why not? Harry it could be a sign that Voldemort is back?

Harry laughed bitterly. What do you think the attack of the Death Eaters meant? I think it is very clear that he is back. I won't help Dumbledore at all with whining about my scar.

Hermione sighed. Alright, if you think so. But maybe you should drink a headache potion.

I tried to find Slinky to give me one but he didn't answer my summons.

Hermione frowned. Where could he be? Harry shrugged. No idea. He looked into her pale face and frowned. Have you cried?

His friend sighed and nodded mutely. 

What happened? Harry's eyes had turned a dark green with concern. 

It's a long story really and I can not tell you right now. Please, understand that? She sounded pained and Harry nodded thougthfully. 

Okay but if you ever need somebody to confide in, I am here.

_I apologize for the delay in posting this but college demands a lot of attention right now and it seems I am struggling with some writer's block on this piece. Not completely, it's just harder to finish chapters. Plus my Beta is moving! I hope you are still on board and we will continue with the love story soon. Please read and review, I really appreciate all the feedback._


	25. 25 Capacity for Evil

**25. [ Capacity for Evil ] **

It was just past midnight when Severus Snape silently strode through the cold dark hallways to his bedroom feeling utterly drained by the long inspection and related interrogation concerning the hundreds of dark arts artefacts. Moody managed to get surprised by getting too near a mesmerising amulet designed to avoid detection and it took all of their combined efforts to counter act it, both of them feeling the negative draining effects of its emanating magic. 

Exhausted, he sighed as he contemplated that most artefacts were of no practical use to protect Hogwarts. Overall, Moody was highly impressed but had also made it perfectly clear that he would contact the Ministry about some of those objects and it was highly probable they would be taken and destroyed. Not that Snape gave a damn about what happened to the collection, as it was a liability, like most of the things concerning his family, and he had simply avoided dealing with it until now. 

When he passed the guest rooms assigned to the children he paused to listen, but it was only silence that greeted his ears. They were probably asleep and he smiled thinly as he thought about cursing Mr. Weasley's dreams into nightmares by making spiders play a part in them but then decided to err on the side of caution. Hermione would not the subtle magic so rightfully targeted and he was aware that she would know somehow- if not by looking into his face then through the connection binding them to each other. She always knew one way or other and it was a complete mystery to him how she could make him feel terribly guilty with just one look, as he had never cared before.

That knowing look reminded him of his mother and it was one of the main reasons why he felt so strongly about her. He loved his mother, he remembered she provided at one time the only happiness he knew, and when she was gone something had died inside him; the hope of ever feeling warm, of ever feeling comfort again. Even now so many years after the last loving embrace on Christmas Eve it hurt the deepest depths of his soul to think of her sweet tear stained face and her big amber eyes as he had held her until the aurors arrived later that day. The lifeless body a cold testimony that there was no chance to say goodbye, no last opportunity to say I love you and a small boy's heart broken in a way which would never completely heal. 

That awful day it had been Albus Dumbledore who had taken her body from the clutching child and he picked the small boy up easily carrying him out of the dark menacing house. He remembered Dumbledore holding him as he cried against that white beard for hours and it had been the combination of his gentle rocking and soothing touch that he had finally fallen asleep. Maybe it was coincidence, maybe it was fate that in all the crucial moments of his life Dumbledore had played a major part and mostly it was him who picked up the pieces. 

As he approached the double doors to the bedroom, his thoughts shifted to Hermione and all she had seen and felt during the battle and in their home. He silently wondered if she would ever recover from the impact these events had on her fragile soul and if she ever did, what it would take. And if maybe he could be of assistance somehow. "_The pieces never go back quite the same way do they, A shattered vase is never whole: always something remiss, always something lost"_ he thought ruefully. 

Snape looked at his wrist as the bracelet started to luminescence the closer he got to the door, the soft tone cycling rhythmically instead of constant. Something wasn't quite right. He could feel she was upset and in a way that somehow was linked to him. He couldn't have said how he knew this but he did and for a moment he wondered if the connection through the necklace maybe had got stronger in the last weeks without him being aware of it.

Concerned about waking his wife up, Snape flicked his wand and whispered "allohamora" upon reaching the door, but his fears were unfounded. She was still awake sitting crossed legged in the middle of the huge bed with a monstrous book in front of her with the spread and pillows bunched up around her like a nest. The enchanted candles floating around the book caused light to reflect off the pages softly onto her face and deep green nightgown. When he closed the door she levitated the heavy leather bound tome to the bedside table and leaned back against the headboard hugging a large pillow, contemplating him as he changed into a pair of black silk pyjamas. A tense silence hung in the air as he climbed into bed next to her and mimicking her position he leaned against the headboard as well. For a short moment neither said a word and then Hermione sighed.

Hermione knew he was coming, she could feel him through the necklace that started to warm. The connection was becoming much stronger since they arrived, which was not a surprise at all given the family magic hanging thick like fog about the manor. She felt a tugging inside her heart that pulled her towards the manor, towards the estate in an enchanting way and she knew it was the necklace who caused these feelings of belonging to a family who would never want her. The paintings had made that perfectly clear the first night she stayed in a place that felt more and more like home.

She sighed silently and tried to shift her thoughts from those musings to a matter of immediate concern- her husband and the vibes he somehow sent through the bracelet.

"Is everything alright?" She turned up her face to examine his, searching with weary concern in her eyes.

He shut his eyes briefly thinking of her reactions to the deaths of her classmates, and sighed. "I am just exhausted by the day's events I assume." Then he met her unyielding gaze by the light of one remaining enchanted candle and lightly placed his hand on her forearm. "How are you feeling after the last few days?"

She inched closer and then twisting around to hug him by the waist snuggling her head into his shoulder, the heat radiating from his body somehow reassured her, and in a comforting and familiar way she was aware of his scent that permeated the room. Once again a deep wave of despair engulfed her as she hid away in his warm strong arms, feeling safer there than in the last days.

"I am not sure what to think about it all and quite honestly I don't even want to think about any of it" She looked up slightly so that her eyes held his. "I just want to hide away somewhere and pretend that none of it has happened, so I don't have to feel or think." Her tone turning more desperate with each word.

He pulled her closer to him and breathed a butterfly-like kiss on her brown curls, taking quiet comfort in her closeness and understanding the beckoning desire to obliviate memories. "This pattern of behavior only grants temporary relief from your pain, I am afraid. If there is nothing I have learned in my life, it is that you can not run away from misery and anguish and facing it, though painful, is still the only way to soothe the hurt." 

Hermione sighed heavily. "I am aware of that but _I am_ afraid of facing what has happened and how it will change my life. I just long for some stable pattern regardless of what is happening around me. My whole world is one constantly shifting set of perpendicular directions and I wish for some temporary relief if I can not achieve some form of stability" Her frustration was evident by the tensing of her arms and a cooling of his bracelets.

"Love." His voice sounded raw in the intimate stillness of the room. "It's the only thing that stays."

"Love can leave you as well Severus. Nobody stays here forever and we will all make the ultimate separation one day. Love is not permanent and it can't grant you relief from this painthis pain I have to now live with." Her seriousness turning bitter as she buried her face in his chest, hands softly plying his waist now clenching into a fist. His bracelet felt cold now as she was slipping away to a dark place, a place all too familiar to Severus himself. A place it was difficult to return from.

"Maybe the object that we love or the person who bestows these feelings on us leaves but the emotion in itself never disappears completely." He stared into space as if surprised by these words himself.

Hermione looked up and traced the back of her hand along the hollow of his cheek, a puzzled look in her eyes. "You sounded so different this afternoon. I can't believe you are saying something like this now."

Severus eyes produced a far way look. "Me neither but the last few month has shown me that love does still exist in my life even though I thought it gone for good. I thought I would never be loved for the rest of my life and I was proven wrong. Maybe you could call it an epiphany."

Tenderly she placed a soft kiss on his cheek. "I love you Severus and I know if I want to find relief from my pain all I have to do is find your loving embrace where no hurt can reach me." She paused briefly, and then sadly stared at her neatly folded hands in her lap. I wish you could find the same comfort in me, in my love. Her voice faded softly.

His face stayed carefully neutral as he averted his eyes to not see her pain. He kept silent even so he felt like she expected him to say something.

"I can't help the feeling that you don't trust me and that you keep so many things from me." She was aware she sounded desperate but didn't care. "Why can't you see that I would love to help you shoulder your burdens and vice versa. That's the way loves works, Severus. What use is a relationship if you don't share the good and the bad? You say I was cheated out of a wedding, cheated out of traditions. At a wedding we'd vow in sickness and in health, for richer or poorer, for better or worse. That is what love is." 

He averted his gaze from the pain and the truth once again, using the fall of fine black hair that fell across his face when he looked down to conceal as much as he could from her. "It never worked like that in my family, Hermione. Our lives are so different, our histories are so different- how can we ever share my living hell of a life? You have no idea what ugly secrets are hidden in this house. It would sicken and horrify you if you realized half of what has happened in my family, and I can't bear that burden on anyone, especially you." He said roughly, the bitterness clearly laced within the low voice in the dimming light.

Hermione inhaled deeply, hand resting on the now tense shoulder. "How can you know if you never tried to tell me? How can you be so sure that I would not understand? I am aware of the fact that your family is not like the Weasleys and maybe I don't even want that. Maybe I want to get to know, see and experience the things that shaped you, turned you into the person you are today." Directing his chin so he'd look at her, she stated as if she was reading from a book, "as a matter of fact, I have done so already and I, and we survived it." Sliding her hand down the length of his arm, she carefully took his hand pressing her thumb across the back along the long thin bones from the wrist to the knuckles. "I want to know the person I love, and I want you to want to know me too."

Snape looked seriously at her. "You have no idea what you are asking of me and you have no idea what you are getting yourself into. You have seen my father and still you want to know more about that bastard of a man?" Hurt rang in his voice deeper than anything else. 

For a moment silence was in the room and then Hermione released his hand and placed hers on Severus' shifting shoulder, squeezing slightly. 

"Is it true that he killed your mother?" The words hung in the room when he turned his pained expression to face hers, his black eyes like liquid oil moved but revealing nothing.

"Yes." The necklace stung her collar bones as it instantly transformed from warm to cold.

Her fingers gripped his flesh so tightly that it must have been bruising but the need to cling to him to not let him drift away- both physically and emotionally- ran that deep. Minutes slipped silently by.

"A ghost down in the living room told me." She said softly after a while.

A flicker of a smile showed on his face for a second. "Ah,Keira. I should have remembered her and introduced the two of you." She relaxed her grip and he gently placed a hand on her shoulder " You two have so much in common." He leaned towards her and she folded her hands in her lap looking at them.

"I am so very sorry. I hate him with a vengeance for what he did to you." Hermione's voice cracked with anger and grief. The necklace emeralds were now almost black.

Severus wrapped his arms around her and pulled her soft body against his so very tenderly. "I am no better really since I executed him with the killing curse There is much blood on my hands Hermione and I am not sure if you can handle all that right now. Maybe not ever."

She pressed her tear-stained face against the soft fabric of his shirt. "You were perfectly justified to do that to him. Even if he hadn't killed your mother, he was a monster set lose on a little boy." She sniffed softly. "Give me some time, don't throw everything on my shoulders at once and I should be fine. I want to understand you and I want to see the real you, please let me in for both our sakes." she pleaded.

Severus sarcastic voice pitched low. "The real me? Are you sure you want to face that person?"

She looked up, a beautiful mess with her tear reddened face and the curls flying around her head in the soft low candle light. "Of course I am sure. What I have seen so far is intoxicating and I can't wait to see him again." A quiet teasing note played in her voice when she admitted: "Do you know that when we make love that you reveal more of him than anytime else? Do you have any idea how wonderful he is? " The warmth returning to his bracelet, watching her hand reaching to trace the strands of hair about his face. 

Snape smiled ruefully. "Then, I am afraid I will not allow any more intimate contact in the future. I can't risk to blow my cover after all, can I?" 

Hermione frowned. "I am not sure I can agree with that." Her voice softened and a slight blush showed on her cheeks as she whispered: "I am really quite fondof ...his attentions.

"And what am I supposed to do about it my dear?" He began to caress her neck.

"Hmmm." She tilted her head to allow him more access. "What you are doing right now, seems quite fine with me."

He smiled and pushed her hair aside to place soft kisses on her neck. "Then I shall continue my beloved."

As the candle light dimmed to cast a light where illumination and shadow blended, her only answer was a soft sigh as she fell back onto the silken cover pulling him along with her.

*******************************************************************************

The hammering in his head had gotten worse in the last hours and as Harry stared into the silent blackness of the room as he tried to ignore the foreboding premonition of doom. There was a realistic chance that it was only the house and its owner who gave him a headache and not Voldemort. But still he felt strangely reluctant to close his eyes and try to sleep. 

After five more minutes of useless waiting he put on his glasses to go downstairs and have some tea to soothe his nerves. Ron was still snoring softly as he carefully tried not to make any noise closing the door behind him. The hallway was dimmed, some flickering torches on the walls lighting the dark tunnel in places and only intensifying the blackness around those islands of light. As he made his way down the stairs he sighed as he imagined how nice it would be to not be so completely alone with all this anxiety closing in around him. But his friends were asleep and he couldn't imagine talking with Slinky about his fears- not that he had seen him all day.

Harry opened the kitchen and to his surprise found his least favourite teacher standing in front of the window taking in the view of the early morning light on the gardens where light began to chase away the shadows of the previous night, his back facing Harry. He paused in his steps abruptly staring at the tall lean shape of the Potions Master which was slightly illuminated by the light of the stove. 

Harry noticed Snape's robes were different this morning. Gone were the buttoned down robes and cape, this one was richer and more opulent than the woolen teaching robes, this was something that one would expect a Malay to wear. Harry realized he was seeing manor robes for the first time. Ron said only rich pure bloods owned them, and Ron coveted these. Harry could only think Ron would get even more angry seeing Snape in such finery. The only thing that was similar to the tightly fitting teachers' robes is the color black. These robes appeared to be of a crisp silk, slightly fitted and flaring a bit at the hips. Ornate black embroidery looped around the hems and across the upper back, continuing down to the much looser sleeves hanging to just below Snape's wrists. Harry was shocked to see there was no high collar and no cloak either, this was a different Snape, regal looking almost. 

"Do you want some tea, Potter?" Snape's voice sounded amused and when he turned around Harry was surprised to see an honestly pleased smile on his face.

_"Why is he in such a good mood?",_ Harry thought and instantly pictures of Hermione in the man's arms filled the boy's mind which he immediately pushed away. _"Better not think about it too much."_

"Thank you Sir", Harry replied as Snape handed him a steaming cup of jasmine tea. Instead of turning away from the boy to resume his thinking the Potions Master held Harry's defiant and startled gaze. A slight frown marred the usually strict face as he crossed his arms in front of his chest, the long white fingers resting just above the elbows, one tapping in expectation.

"Your scar is hurting, isn't it?" he inquired suddenly.

Harry nodded glumly not sure what to say and how to take the sudden interest in his person. Instead he sipped carefully from his steaming cup and tried to not let his distrust win the upper hand with the other man. But he couldn't help thinking about Sirius and the fate he had suffered. Somehow that made standing here in the kitchen with his godfather's enemy in a way tainted.

"No doubt Voldemort is fuming because his little attack didn't quite work out the way he planned it. I assume the pain is due to his intense negative emotions." Snape sounded thoughtful.

Suddenly Harry looked up and placed the cup on the table. "Several students died during the attack- I would say his plan worked out alright. Maybe he is celebrating and that gives me the headache."

"It might seem tragic to you that some of your friends died but it wasn't a success for Voldemort- not the way he planned it. It is true death amuses him at times but I doubt he is celebrating. He possesses a capacity for evil you cannot imagine Harry and he wanted more than some students dead." 

Anger was building up once again as Harry stood there in the dark kitchen, helplessness cursing through his veins. The feeling of having failed terribly in something was overpowering in this moment and so he lashed out at the hated teacher. He could have never said what exactly it was he had failed at but the feeling has been present since the attack on Halloween's eve and was more pronounced with every hour passing by.

"Maybe not knowing about Voldemort's capacity for evil is a good thing. Maybe you just understand it because you share this with your Dark Lord!" he snapped.

For a second teacher and student stared at each other and then Harry stormed out leaving Snape behind, his face once again expressionless. Long after Harry had run up the stairs Snape gripped his now cold cup of tea, a terrible memory replaying in his mind. Capacity for evil indeed- where had he heard that phrase the last time? Another silken voice began to enter his mind, a voice he knew was now gone for good for death had finally extinguished Lucius' candle.

_... The dark and empty library was usually a comforting place for 14- year old Severus but not when he felt like somebody was watching him from a place hidden and not when he knew that someone was Lucius Malfoy; the pale blond king of Slytherin house, current head boy and quite frankly an annoying pest in the last weeks. Not that he disliked the other boy, it was just that he had a strange way of staring at him, a way that was almost intrusive in its nature and it made him very uncomfortable in his skin. As if he was watched with a certain intent in the observer's glacial blue eyes- and for some reason Severus assumed that he would dislike this intention immensely._

_After five minutes he slammed the book " Transfiguration In Motion: Inanimate to Animate Objects" shut and leaned back frowning crossing his arms over his chest. Why couldn't his stalker just talk with him and get it done with already, this waiting was making him sick and edgy. He softly sighed as he remembered the way his father always talked about the Malfoys, as if they were slightly inferior to the Snape family. But he also knew that his father fostered his friendship with Lord Malfoy and he would expect his son to do the same. A pained expression masked his features shortly and then he sighed softly. Why not make the first move if Lucius was reluctant to do it?_

"Malfoy?" Silence answered Severus and he sighed once again. He wasn't really in the mood for mind games like this. He had to study some more potions books and then another essay to finish for Professor Binns. "I know you are there and if you don't come out I will most certainly hex you."

_A soft chuckle was his answer and this time the tall athletic figure of the other Slytherin appeared from behind a shelf of divination books, the typical smirk on his rugged face. His blond hair was flowing down his back in a simple tail, his eyes sparkling with mirth. The female half of the school had a crush on the seventh year student and he exploited it for everything it was worth._

_In a teasing but dangerously friendly tone Malfoy approached his dark target, "My, my Severus. Would you really hex another Slytherin? Why not bestow a brave Gryffindor with such exquisite gifts? Wouldn't that heighten the pleasure of giving?" He leaned back against the shelf looking relaxed in his stance of pure arrogance._

_Severus rolled his eyes. "And we all know this all you care about Lucius- heightening your pleasure. This pursuit will one day cost you your neck?" _

_Lucius snorted and then came slowly closer to the table a new glint in his eyes. A mixture of glee and warning. " Severus you know there are many ways of living a life. I know you will always prefer the cautious approach and this in the end will get you as far as your precious mother"_

Before Malfo**y** could smirk, Severus reflexively had his wand ready –a motion repeated as a trained response from many fights with his father, and with a smooth flick he uttered a short "Cruio" forcing Malfoy down on the floor in pain. "I will tell you this but once Malfoy" Snape sneered. "Never mention my mother ever again or I will kill you!" With that he ended the curse and stepped back into the shadows of the library bookshelves.

The blonde Slytherin was panting heavily but strangely the smirk was still in place. "Or maybe you are more like your father Severus? His capacity for evil is well known with my master."

_"What master?" Severus frowned, a Malfoy with a master made no sense._

_"I cannot tell you who. The only thing I can tell you is that he can grant you every wish, he can give you whatever you desire Severus and I know what you want most of all!" At the raised eye brow in on the dark haired boy's face Lucius chuckled. "Power, Severus. That's what you want above anything else in your life." He got up and gripped the boy's chin with a firm but endearing hold. "I am graduating soon but I will return one day and then you will beg me to bring you to my master. And if you are a good boy I will. And we both know that you are aware what a good boy is to do, Severus. I am sure your father taught you all about it!" The smirk held an evil glint this time._

_Hastily Severus stepped back and hatred burned across his face, so raw that the smirk wavered in the other boy's face. "I will never serve your perverse pleasures Malfoy nor will I beg you to join your master. I am my own master and that will never change!"_

_AN: Pew, we are done with this chapter and I have to say it was exhausting in a way to write but I am quite pleased with the way it turned out. I hope you like Lucius' reappearance and this surely isn't the last we have seen of our blond slytherin. Those of you who like lemons, we are on ff.net here and I want to keep this rated R- but expect some more lime soon. Please read and review for it helps me more than you think. Plus, a happy writer is a productive write so even if you only write that it was a nice chapter, it will make me happy._


	26. 26 Choices

**26. [ Choices ]**

The Serpent's den is a component of the dungeons, its only light filtered through 50 feet of slightly murky lake water. Its underground position with walls and floors of basalt added to the cool damp darkness making it a gloomy place even on a sunny day. House banners of green and silver hung on the walls along with eerie tapestries of grey, black, brown, and shades of green depicting fierce bloody battle scenes between serpents and men. 

Basalt is the main stone of Hogwarts foundation. It is one of the hardest rocks on earth, dark, solid, strong, unyielding, and difficult to hewn; so much like the members of the House of Slytherin. It was far cry from the bold pink and red granite and gold toned travertine of the Gryffindor Common room. 

As such the statuary and carvings bent to the will of the basalt and the rough interpretation of the theme created a hideous beauty. The carved serpents coiled around pillars and crept along the floor, creating reptilian moulding and crown decorations. Many of the snakes emerged from the wall positioned to swallow whole the silver rat and rabbit shaped torches lighting the den, vividly representing a win or lose, eat or be eaten Slytherin view of the world. 

Some carvings hid in the dark corners, their black fire opal or ruby eyes with inlaid onyx slits flashed in the firelight scaring first year Slytherins into hysterics and requiring prefects to alert the head of house to calm them down. 

The shadows flickered over the walls and the moss green carpets on the floor gave the room a forbidden forest atmosphere. The constant chilliness of the air made people ill from time to time but not a real feeling of physically being cold. No, the physical cold could be chased away by the roaring fireplace and the warming spells rumoured to be placed by the headmaster on the whole of the castle. No, it was the cold feeling coursing through the veins, the pairs of eyes around every corner, the ears listening everywhere, demanding a level of wariness when in the common room. Not many people could stand this constant sensation of being silently observed and so naturally many students were out or stayed in their rooms.

Yet Draco Malfoy lounged across one of the green leather couches in the currently deserted Slytherin common room that was now his new home. It would probably stay empty for the rest of the night since most of the students were either home, dead, or being questioned at the Ministry about the attack on Halloween. Draco had already thoroughly been questioned by an angry, grim looking Alastor Moody and counselled by Remus Lupin after they found the lifeless body of his father. His mother was arrested and thrown in Azkaban. where she was awaiting interrogation about his fathers' Death Eater activities, and she would be lucky if she got away with a simple sentence of imprisonment. 

Rampant rumours informed him that the majority of the Wizard's Council were in favour of administering the Dementor's kiss to the incarcerated and he deeply feared for his mother. Even though Albus Dumbledore held dominion over the captured wizards and witches it would only be a matter of time until a public outcry for justice would follow the deaths of several students. Hogwarts was empty given that all the teachers and students were gone; most of them either at home or injured in St. Mungo's being treated on various hexes and curses- the worst being Madame Sprout who was held under the Cruciatus Curse for several minutes.

The fire burned down to embers but the tall, pale, blond boy didn't feel anything anymore. He rather gathered his robes closer around his body trying to sink deeper into the sofa cushions in a vain attempt to draw some comfort in the warmth. Once again the images of his father's body invaded his mind torturing him again with the memories of the night Moody dragged him out of bed and down to the great hall to identify the remains. 

After it was clear the attack failed, the aurors swarmed around the castle. He ran back to the common room and hid in bed not even aware of what he was hiding from, dragging the covers over his head. A few hours passed when he felt Moody ripping away the bedding, abruptly yanking him up by the shoulders and taking his wand. "Won't be needing that for a while", Moody growled.

"Come on now boy. There is something I want you to see. You need to see the rewards for being a Death Eater." Barked the craggy old auror shoving Draco in front of him and jabbing his wand into the boy's back forcing him down the stairs and into the dark dungeon hallways.

The two walked silently with Draco stumbling with each shove, recalling the click clump sound of Moody's artificial limb against the stone. He could still feel Moody's wand poking into his back making him acutely aware that Moody could easily cast the killing curse and excuse it as an attack later. When they reached the empty hall Draco heard shouting voices elsewhere in the castle and suspected aurors where searching the place for any hidden Death Eaters.

Orange and black shreds of crepe paper littered the floor everywhere, and smashed pumpkins were smeared on tables and walls. A clearing in the middle of the hall acted as a temporary morgue where several bodies covered by robes lay still in rows. Moody pushed Draco nearer to one figure on the floor. Draco tried to mentally prepare for what he was about to see but he had nothing to fortify against this confrontation with the dead, especially his father. "Tell me who this is, boy." growled Moody as he whipped the black robe away from the corpse.

The body wasn't mangled, the only indication that he was dead and not napping was his wide open and empty grey eyes that used to dance with mirth and glint with cunning. The face was flawless as usual and a strand of silver hair covered part of the right cheek. Draco slowly dropped to one knee and with lightly shaking fingers swept the hair away from the staring face, next gently closing the lids of the eyes while dropping his head trying to chase away the grief that threatened to consume him. Shaking his head and desperately fighting the tears; he would not break down in front of this self satisfied auror, he was a Slytherin damn it. Rising while still staring at the face of his dead father, he felt like succumbing to numbness. 

"Have a good look, laddy because you might just end up exactly like him. Snuffed out by a clean killing curse. I presume you are aquatinted with those, aren't you?" Moody pointed his wand at the boy and sneered, somehow it looked more vicious than Snape's usual sneer. Maybe because the Potion Master never pointed a wand at you while he lectured.

Draco awaited either a hex or detainment but not being dragged to another cloak covered body, this time a smaller one and Moody lifted the robe away with his wand. For a moment all air left Draco's lungs and he gasped when he saw a face he had seen daily in charms and potions. There laid Justin Finch-Fletchley, a mudblood Hufflepuff, his face twisted in agony, the hand gripping the wand so hard that the knuckles were still white. Draco jerked realising with a start that he was killed with a continuos application of the cruciatus curse.

He felt stinging acid hit his throat and turned away quickly before vomiting the little he ate at the ball slumping onto the hard stone floor trying to banish from his mind the thought that killings like these were a speciality of his aunt Bellatrix. He heard steps approaching and prepared for a curse when instead he felt the comfort of a heavy hand on his back which began to rub in a soothing manner until he felt his stomach settling down again.

"I know this is hard for you," The headmaster's voice sounded calming and soothing when Draco looked up and he was grateful when the older man helped him on his shaky legs with a surprisingly strong grip. The blue eyes behind the half-moon spectacles searched the boy's face before he let him go gently. "How are you feeling, Draco?"

Draco inhaled deeply and avoided looking down again. "I am alright, Sir." His voices quaver betraying him.

Dumbledore sighed softly and placed his hand once again on the slender boy's shoulder. "I am not pleased by Alastor Moody's actions tonight and I can only apologise for it."

Draco scrutinized him for a moment, and then simply nodding mutely.

"Do you wish to return to your common room or would you care to have a cup of tea in my office? I could use one right now." The calm voice was laced with concern and understanding.

It was a simple enough question but loaded with many layers, the Slytherin den or the Headmaster's office? Somehow Draco knew that right here and now he had to make a choice and for one tiny second he remembered the agony-ridden face of his classmate- then he turned around to face the Headmaster.

"I think I could use a cup as well."

********************************************************************************

They had talked for hours, not about Voldemort or Death Eaters but about growing up as a pureblood and Draco was surprised to hear that Dumbledore himself came from a pureblood family. The office had been warm and a merry fire flickered in the hearth somehow easing some of the terrible pictures of last night. Images of Death Eaters pointing their wands ready to kill, not caring whether they hit their own flesh, the screams of fear and terror and the many flashes of green light Draco witnessed in the hall with students going down without any defence.

_"How should they defend themselves against a heavily trained and armed Death Eater? Most were children, unarmed for the night and in the mood for some pumpkin juice and some snogging, their only worries being caught by Snape who would no doubt take off house points."_

For the first time Draco was acutely aware how much these castle rules and procedures were a stabilising factor in a constantly shifting world that was now his life. It wasn't that he liked muggleborns or that he didn't think that some of the ideas Voldemort pursued were worth considering, like so many wizards had thought before his first rising, but he had not been prepared for this onslaught of violence, this killing without questioning, this lack of complete rational control.

If he really faced the situation he was trapped between a rock and a hard place. He could stay as he was, waiting how things turned out with his mother and waiting till he left Hogwarts to follow his father's footsteps- in every way. Or he could turn away from it all, turn away from his mother, the Malfoy fortune, and the principles he had been taught all his life. His hands gripped his wand tightly, as he looked into the now empty fireplace trying to make yet another choice that would impact his whole life. What was he to do?

"Good evening, Draco." The rich melancholy feminine voice was soft and deep emanated from the other end of the room, which was currently in darkness with only some flickering candle light bathing the space into an orange light.

Draco turned his face to see who was talking to him and to his utter surprise he saw a tall, pale lady with long black hair floating eerily about untamed, dressed in a floor length flowing emerald green robe. She instantly reminded him of somebody, somebody he knew well.

"I am Bloodwen Snape, child." She smirked when she saw the barely concealed surprise on Draco's face. "I am here to help you make a decision in a truly Slytherin way." 

********************************************************************************

The next morning found Hermione alone in bed again. A slight tugging emanating from the necklace made her quickly get up despite the predawn darkness. She hurriedly dressed in jeans and a brown jumper and ran down the stairs into the foyer with her hand clutching the pendant of the necklace. To her surprise Keira, the little girl ghost, was floating in mid air softly humming a haunting tune glancing towards the parlour.

When she obviously heard Hermione she turned around in mid-air so quickly that the momentum made her drift in the direction of the front door. She giggled and righted herself once again with a mischievous grin.

"Oops. Good morning, Hermione." She still had the same sad smile when they first met as she floated through the big hall all the time staring at the other girl. "I have been waiting for you for such a long time."

Stepping into the living room scanning the scene Hermione impatiently enquired "Where is Severus?" The parlour was deserted but strangely the necklace radiated peace now that she was here. "Have you triggered the necklace?" She stepped back into the hallway staring at the petite spirit. Keira nodded and looked almost proud.

"Yes, I don't even know how I did it but I have to show you something." She giggled once again and pointed at a huge wardrobe. "Can you move this?"

Hermione took one look at the heavy wood and shook her head thinking about Harry's experiences with letters from Mafalda Hopkirk. "No. But why would I move a wardrobe? What's behind it?" Suspicion creeping into her voice, "_Ghosts are not be trusted, remember?_" 

Keira grinning in delight stated in a lyrical voice, "Something to understand the past, Hermione Snape. Behind that wardrobe are loads of answers to understanding your new family."

Hermione sighed and stared at the wardrobe in speculation and a bit of mistrust. She clearly couldn't move this wardrobe on her own but possible with Harry and Ron's help. Hemione's Gryffindor curiosity getting the better of her, "_But what could be behind it that leads to answers in the past, answer you need?_" Slowly she stepped towards the wardrobe and then it hit her. Keira had said yesterday that Severus had hid under the stairs when his parents were arguing and behind this wall was his secret hiding place.

She looked in disappointment noticing Keira disappeared. She took one last look at the stately wardrobe and then jolted up the stairs.

********************************************************************************

"I can't believe I am moving this damn heavy wardrobe in Snape Manor at some bloody awful hour in the morning. Honestly Hermione, what is supposed to be behind this monstrous thing? I hope its a fortune and not another cache of Snape's arts collections." Ron sighed gripping and shoving the huge piece of furniture once again. His face red and sweaty, and clearly not happy with the task. "Ready Neville, alright now, heave ho!"

Neville looked uneasy not trusting the wardrobe not to eat him, but nodded bravely. Trying again, the two pushing and pulling with all their might the heavy furniture moved enough to expose a small wooden pocket door.

" Oh Merlin! This looks a bit like the place Harry had to live in at his muggle aunt and uncle, doesn't it?" Ron stepped next to Hermione and stared at the door. "I wonder where Harry is. I mean he shouldn't be wandering around this spooky house alone."

Hermione raised one brow. "He is probably just sitting somewhere and thinking. Ginny is looking for him and I have absolutely no doubt that he is perfectly safe in the manor."

Ron shrugged. "Yes, but you are biased."

His friend sighed, exasperated, "I wish you would just grow up Ron. He is on our side, he is a member of the _Order _after all_,"_ she added softly just above a whisper, "and I happen to love him."

"I have grown up Hermione or I would not have accepted _so many things_ without - killing him." responding shortly.

"Then what is your problem?" Hermione asking angrily. "All you have been doing since last summer is whining and complaining about everything regarding him."

Ron's face began turning purple, the blush starting behind his ears and instantly his expression shifting to one of defiance. "That's none of your business Hermione Gra-!" snapping his mouth shut. "I think I need some fresh air as well! Come on Neville, we'll go and have a look for Harry ourselves!"

With that he turned around and stormed out of the parlour towards the kitchen to access the garden from there. Neville looked at Hermione uncomfortably clearly uncertain what to do. 

"Go on then!" she ordered, "Somebody has to make sure he doesn't get into any trouble."

In a split second, Neville was gone and Hermione was left alone in the slowly brightening room, staring intensely at the small pocket door as if waiting for an explanation. But as usual none was offered. She sighed moving closer towards the old wooden door with wear marks made by small fingers on its right side. The entrance was very small, barely over four feet tall, and even Hermione had to bend down to go through it. It was hard to imagine someone of Severus' height feeling comfortable in the room behind the door if the ceiling was that low. _"Merlin, how young was he whenno. What happened to him when he could no longer hide"_

One last look at the door and she extended her hand and carefully set her hands on the tiny wear marks slowly sliding open the barrier hiding the secrets she so desperately wanted to know. 

********************************************************************************

The early morning sun created bizarre shadows in the gardens of Snape Manor as Harry trotted through the high hedges trying to find his way out of this maze. When he ran from the kitchens he had not paid any attention on where he was going or in which direction he was heading and now he had to admit he was stuck. Lost in a maze that so far was not attacking him or doing anything else to harm him. He wouldn't put it beyond the Snape family that these hedges were hexed and that in a couple of minutes a boggart would attack him, _just like the maze during the Triwizards tournament_.

An evil voice whispered in Harry's mind, like so many times over the last summer, that he had been obviously not good enough to save Sirius from being killed. He instantly tried to banish these thoughts but they persisted.

Sighing, he quickly contemplated trying another spell to get himself out of this maze but so far the others had failed, reinforcing his theory that spells were an integral part of the maze. Turning another corner he entered into a wide circular clearing located in the centre of the maze. It looked like a park. Situated in the centre of it all stood a circular, colonnaded ancient looking structure in the classic style. Illuminated within by the soft orange light of an enchanted flame, it bathed the whole area around it in warmth. 

Very slowly Harry crept around the small cedars that dotted the lawn, getting closer to the open rotunda. To his utter surprise he saw that inside, the dome was filled with enchanted candles. Small stone benches rose from the floor just inside the columns. 

Snape sat on one of the benches leaning forward, forearms resting on his knees and his hands clasped in silent contemplation. Opposite from him a translucent figure floated inside the enchanted flame, her silver white hair done into a complicated pattern on the back of her head. She was dressed in a white shroud and her face was moved into a sympathetic expression.

"Severus, I know it may seem impossible but this young woman is so much more than you ever thought. Why would you doubt her now when I know you appreciate her and trust her with your life?" Her soulful voice was gentle as she carefully placed her shimmering hand an inch over the dark material covering the Potions Masters arms.

"It's not lack of trust as you very well know, Nana. I would trust her with the most complicated potion in a heart beat, but introducing her to the host of manor ghosts, I fear, would be overwhelming without any preparation." He sighed, his head slipping lower towards his knees. "You did not witness her mistreatment by the paintings. Slinky told me the morning after. He had to exchange them all with your Scottish highland paintings. How will our ancestors react if the paintings already showed that much cruel contempt?"

The woman, obviously Snape's grandmother, let out a sarcastic laugh, "I wouldn't worry about that, Severus. I already gave them a stern lecture and with one or two exceptions they are ready to give her a chance. Snape Manor needs a lady of the house and one day you will want to live with her here, won't you?" She stared into his unmoving and carefully neutral face. "Severus. Don't tell me you are honestly thinking about deserting the manor? Your home, the place you were born, my only home and haven these days? How could you even consider it?" Accusation rang heavy in her voice.

Snape sighed once again. "I don't have the best memories of this place as you very well know and right now my place is at Hogwarts. Maybe if the war is won, and Hermione has decided what she wants to do with her life, we may move here but I won't force this on her. Try to understand me, Nana!"

The woman floated some inches higher. "I do understand you my dear one, but she is already bonding to this house and the sooner she starts the better for her. You never saw how I struggled when your grandfather brought me here without any explanation and suddenly I had to be lady of the manor. You would do her more harm than good with keeping her too long from this place."

Snape nodded slowly. "I will think about it, Nana." 

The ghost, obviously satisfied floated back to the flame and Harry standing hidden in the shadows of the yews decided to return to the maze to think about what he had heard. The moment he moved he heard the ghost's voice wafting outward.

"However what I can't understand my dear grandson is that so far you have not deemed it appropriate to introduce me to the most famous boy in the wizarding world. Why, pray tell me, have I never met Harry Potter until this morning?"

Harry froze in his steps and turned slowly around. The woman was looking into his direction, her eyes twinkling with barely suppressed amusement as her dark penetrating eyes bored themselves into Harry's emerald ones, only conveying understanding. Snape still looking at the ghost not seeing Potter, sneered.

"Of course, the boy who lived!" he clipped sitting straight up. "How could I have forgotten to show him the most sacred place on this estate. Honestly Nana, I thought you know how I feel about this little show-off!"

"He is not a show-off and you do him great injustice by holding a grudge against somebody who is no longer alive and who meant so much to the boy. Additionally I would suggest not let him wander through the damn maze next time if you do not want to have him stumble onto my home these days." She smiled warmly. "Welcome to the rotunda, Harry. I am most pleased to finally meet you my dear boy."

Snape's head snapped into Harry direction and lines of annoyance showed deeply on his face. "What are you doing here, Potter?"

His grandmother floated to the boy and blocked Harry's view of Snapes rolling eyes. "Ignore him when he is like that Harry. Unfortunately I could never teach him the finer arts of social interaction due to my demise early in his life. Hopefully Hermione can get my grandson to become less of a ill mannered hermit." Her smile was so genuine and heart felt that Harry's mouth stretched into the first honest smile since last summer. "That's better my boy. Why don't you sit down a bit and we can talk some about how you like this manor and Hogwarts. I have not seen the school for a while. Is the Bloody Baron still as grumpy as he was when I attended the school?"

.

_B/N Beta notes: Dear readers please blame me partially for the slow updates. I tell Snapesgirl that college and health comes first, so beat me up I'm tough. It sometimes takes us over 4 weeks to get an update out. _

_A/Ns The imagery of the Slytherin common room using basalt was inspired by a story called Fracture Mechanics, a brilliant one shot incorporating mineral themes. Most of the ideas for the Serpent's den were added by the lovely droxy, my trusted beta. _

_Next chapter will have some HG/SS kissing and some more Ginny action. We are getting closer to the final battle, folks. Please be patient with me, my new college semester started a week ago and it may take me some time to get a new chapter up. But real life and my education are the top priority in my life._

_Thanks for the reviews in the last weeks and be sure, this story will be finished but not all story threads will be ended. Please read and review, even if its only to say you are reading the story. _

_Wow, this note was almost longer than the chapter ;)_

_~ Snapesgirl_

9

  



	27. 27 A Shift of Perspectives

27. [ A Shift of Perspective]

_AN: This is shorter than usual (around half the size) but I was reassured by my beta that you'd rather like shorter chapters more frequently. This is kind of a transition chapter, setting some developements in motion and placing the characters for the final chapters. Next one should contain once again more action and some – eh more juicy parts._

_I created a notify list for my readers, so instead of having to check my author page all the time or to pester me with emails (which you are still free to do), you can go to my homepage (as listed on my authors page, simply click on my name) and join there. This will make sure you never miss any chapter in the future._

Severus Snapes emotionless eyes glittered as he sat ensconced in the rotunda while Harry Potter entertained his grandmother's ghost, but he did not linger long due to an enourmous headache he felt approaching rapidly The rare November sun was slowly melting the heavy frost on the grounds and the frozen grass crunched beneath his long strides as he headed straight towards the manor, his face scrunched in a clouded frown, with Potter now jogging along to keep from getting lost in the maze again.

Snape silently ignored his unwelcome morning companion as he looked upon the gables rising above the tops of the enchanted hedgerows that simply parted way upon his brisk approach. Instead his gaze fixed upon the remnants of ivy that had since lost it leaves, now exposing the underlying stone and abandoned birds' nests wedged within the knurled stems still clinging to the mortar.

Somehow this morning he felt the bracelet around his wrist virbrating gently against his skin more than ever, sending a welcoming warmth through his body from the point where metal met flesh as he got closer to the manor. He would have to check on his wife and see what she was doing. Suddenly this seemed like the most important thing in the world to do. He silently cursed once again the family magic that emanated from the metal chains and that was playing with his emotions.

_Why me?_

But then again, this questions had stayed unanswered so many times in the past, that he didn't really expected an answer this time. Somehow he was sure Albus would find immense amusement in this and probably offer him a helpful phrase and some lemon drops.

_Damn old meddler!_

Ginny Weasley loved mysteries, loved strolling through old enchanted houses like the burrow and she was always fearless in a Gryffindor way that set her mum to worrying. Molly Weasley complained that her Ginny was far too adventurous for her own good, maybe this would explain why back in her first year she had willingly explored Tom Riddle's diary- it had been filled with mystery and magic.

So Ginny couldn't help but notice that Snape manor was crackling with magic. The humming family magic surging through the building gently called to her with a sense of belonging but fell silent once detecting she wasn't a family member. There were very few old manors and estates like this one left in England and they were mostly owned by prominent pureblood families like the Malfoys, Longbottoms, or the Snapes. These families filled their homes with ancient protective wards for generations by assembling their ancestors in the forms of ghosts who in return protected the inhabitants and structure against intruders.

Ginny knew all that so she wasn't surprised to find an assembly of ghosts in one of the upper rooms. Originally she had wanted to look for Harry but all that was forgotten once she felt the magic flowing inside these walls. The ghosts were whispering conspiratorially with each other, most of them dressed in fine and elegant manor robes and many possessed a rather large and hawk-like nose- it was obviously a family trademark. Ginny leaned against the wall not wanting to interrupt their conversations and was content with only watching. Having grown up in the burrow she was used to ghosts, and unlike most muggles she knew their limitations. She was invited by Professor Snape to be here, so they couldn't use family magic to harm her and like all ghosts they couldn't touch anything solid.

After a while it got a bit boring listening to them drone on, and Ginny mischievously decided to let them know they had an audience.

"Good morning. Would you mind if I pass?" she said with a smile.

The ghosts immediately turned around and some eyed her suspiciously slowly floating closer. Ginny just returned their stare calmly and without hesitation, not moving one inch.

"Who are you and what are doing in our manor traipsing through the hallways?" One of the ghosts, a tall middle aged wizard with thick black wiry hair and piercing blue eyes, demanded with a bellowing voice.

Ginny was completely unimpressed and her fierce brown eyes determinedly met his. "I am a guest of the house and I am strolling the hallways because it has not been forbidden by Professor Snape."

The tall ghost snorted and glowered in a familiar way. "Not forbidden doesn't mean it is allowed young lady. You have no business in this area of the house."

A pretty female ghost sighed and floated forward surprising Ginny with a gentle tone.

"Eugene dear, this is one of the students Severus has brought here after the school was attacked. Isn't that true my dear?"

Ginny nodded still meeting the steel blue eyes of the disapproving man-spirit.

The lady ghost chuckled softly looking over Ginnys flaming red hair. "You must be a Weasley, am I right my girl?"

A surprised Ginny nodded once again and the ghost smiled warmly and winked. "I once spent several wonderful evenings with one of your charming ancestors. Very lovely people your family."

Ginny returned the smile and nodded shortly. In this moment a smooth deep voice cut the air.

"As much as I hate to interrupt this merry chattering, I assume the ghosts have work to do and I need to talk with this young lady." Snape's voice was as coldly business-like and the ghosts floated away through the ceiling but Ginny spied some hostile looks directed right at the professor.

She turned around in defiance and was surprised to see the Potions Master grinning in amusement as he leaned against the doorframe. He looked different, elegant, relaxed, there was a flush to his cheeks, and his face showed no sneer or malice. Carefully Ginny stepped closer and returned the grin hesitantly.

"Nice family you have."

He nodded turning more seriously all in a sudden. "This house hides dangers like no other, Miss Weasley. Walking around here alone is not a good idea, not at all. The ghosts are rebellious given my current situation and the atmosphere is shifting to one of defying my will. This house is not safe."

Ginny nodded. "I understand. I can feel the magic vibrating through the house." Frowning sympathetically, she sighed softly. "And it's not very supportive at times. Like the house occupants don't like the fact that we are here."

Snape furrowed his brow as he concentrated. "I fear it is as I suspected, we have to either return to Hogwarts soon or do something about the ghosts." His voice sounded troubled all of a sudden.

"Is Hogwarts safe though?" a concerned Ginny asked.

Snapes darkening gaze shifted from the ceiling to her questioning expression. "I spoke with the headmaster this morning and he stated that the aurors have left claiming the wards were working properly once again. He suggested that we can return in the next days since school is starting once again in a week." He hesitated shortly but then added almost inaudibly "But maybe we have to leave sooner."

Ginny's face showed clear worry lines as she contemplated these words.

Draco stared at the lady ghost floating above the opposite green leather couch and contemplated what she had just said. Try as he might he was glad that somebody was here to help him with this decision as he felt utterly lost in a world where all in a sudden as 16-year old he was forced to act as an adult.

"In a Slytherin way?" He puzzled and shrugged. "What does that mean?'

Bloodwen smiled knowingly. "I am sure you know about the history of the different houses and about their founders?" As he confirmed it with a nod she continued. "Well, I lived during the time when Salazar, Godric, Ravena and Helga were still living here at the castle. Each of them was a unique person treasuring different values and skills and of course they made decisions in different ways. Godric mostly rushed into action without much contemplation, Ravena usually considered her options intensely only being led and guided by her intellect, and Helga, well she worked to achieve consensus among the group. Salazar on the other hand made decisions in a completely different way." She paused shortly and her face brightened as she talked about these times long past. "He used to value other's opinions, but he never forgot to take one thing into consideration. One thing that every Slytherin should think about before making any decision about his or her own fate."

Draco leaned forward on the couch taking in greedily every word she was saying, wanting so much to make a choice the Slytherin way. After all this was something his father would have wanted him to do.

"Your own advantage is what should make the decision, Draco. Gryffindor would think about what's best for the world, Ravena would only allow pure logic to determine the outcome, and Helga would try to gain some democratic consensus, but a Slytherin will always think about in which position he will lose or win. It's a matter of perspective my dear, where nothing is good or evil and the question of being right or wrong is irrelevant in the end. If you come out of fate's way unharmed you are right and what you supported was good. Such is the Slytherin way." Her dark green eyes bored into his grey ones. "You are not stupid my child, so I am leaving you now to make your own decision. Take into account what I just told you and judge wisely."

With that she disappeared leaving a frowning Draco Malfoy sitting alone in the dark and quiet common room contemplating if maybe even his head of house had made a certain decision the Slytherin way.

Hermione slid open the panel door and nearly jumped out of her skin when she saw Albus Dumbledore sitting on a stool in the small cramped, dusty, room under the stairway. The headmaster smiled gently and beckoned her in closing the door with his wand. A magical candle emanated an orange glowing light that bathed the small room in a warm shimmer.

"Ah Hermione, I wondered when Mr. Weasley and Mr. Longbottom would manage to pull the wardrobe away. Alas, considering the large amount of time they needed, maybe we should include some more athletic activities in the school curriculum." His eyes twinkled in amusement. "But, please sit down my dear!"

He transfigured an old jar into a low comfortable looking armchair and the girl sat down.

"Headmaster, why are you here?" she queried casting her searching eyes in his direction.

"Because I want to redeem myself Ms Snape." His voice sounded serious, all twinkling and merriment gone from his features leaving only sincerity.

Hermione contemplated that shortly. "About not telling Severus and me about the prophecy?"

"No, not that really. I assume it might appear like a failure on my part but I am still convinced that only Minverva's and my silence was able to force you and Severus to grow and deal with each other and you both wouldn't be where you are if I had told Severus about the prophecy when you were sorted."

He shook his head. "No, it is more for hurting Severus and you. I have always had a very special relationship with our Potions Master as you very well know. There was a reason why I trusted him when I know Mr. Weasley and even Mr. Potter silently- or verbally sometimes- wondered if he was betraying me, working against the Order as a double spy. But what your friends cannot know is that Severus would have no reason to do so, too many things from his past are closely linked with Voldemort and he detests all of them vehemently."

"Like his father?" Hermione queried sadly.

Dumbledore nodded gravely. "Yes, his father was a follower of Voldemort during the first rising and his pureblood beliefs were no different from many others back then. In a way Severus felt a family obligation to join the circle of Death Eaters as all of the Snapes were supporters. You are now aware that Severus killed his father after he had taken the Dark Mark and he was ready to go to Azkaban for that crime, he had so little to live for then. I know how much he loved his mother and for him to find her violently murdered by his father left him utterly lost as a child, and he never forgot that pain. Maybe if she had lived many of his decisions would have been different but I am afraid we will never know. The fact remains that Severus trusted me, and has always done so. Maybe it was that trust that made him consider changing sides when he realised his actions did not remove the sadness and pain, but left only regret and guilt. However, I am aware it has never been easy for him to fulfil the role of a spy, to risk his life every day for a society that looked down on him with disdain." He sighed softly. "I know I have almost shattered that trust with my decision but I feel there is something I can do for him."

Hermione hesitated but then asked. "And what is that, Sir?"

Dumbledore smiled gently. "Show you a side of him that not many people know, show you the boy he once was and make you understand him. If you see the boy and remember him, maybe facing the man will be easier for you."

When Harry returned from the garden after a quite amusing talk with Snape's grandmother he found Ginny sitting in the living room staring into the now flickering fire, a surprisingly serene expression on her face. He quietly stepped closer and plopped down next to her on the couch.

"Hello Harry, I was looking for you." Her brown eyes faced his green ones.

Harry smiled thinly. "I had an argument with Snape and then got lost in the maze. Did you know that maze has wards?"

"Most manors have mazes to protect them, Harry." She bored her eyes once again into his. "What did you argue about?"

Harry shrugged nonchalantly. "I don't even know anymore." When he saw Ginny's impatient face he sighed. "Honestly. I was angry about something and he said something about Voldemort and then I said that maybe he shared the capacity for evil with him."

Ginny frowned and shook her head like he missed something obvious. "After all he has done? After all he has risked for you and for the school? Only because he made bad choices once in his life? He is doing everything he can to redeem himself and still all he receives in return for it is hate. I believe in second chances Harry. I believe that not granting Professor Snape that second chance makes me wonder whether you are more like Voldemort than he is."

Harry tried to swallow down the guilt but found he was unable to. "I am just so mad because of Sirius and no matter what I do, people I care for die and there is nothing I can do to save them."

Ginny placed her hand on his arm. "But that is life, Harry. The good guys don't always win, there are causalities and sometimes nothing we can do changes the fact that people die. But we have to hold our convictions close Harry, we have to stop fighting among our allies and start facing the real enemy. If we don't then we might very well give up right now."

Harry stared into the flames as he considered these words. Maybe Ginny was right and it was time to bury the hatchet despite his feelings. Maybe he should start to place the blame for the tragedies in his life on the person who was solely responsible for it- Voldemort.

"Thanks Ginny." He got up straightening his shoulders. "I guess I have to start with an apology first?"

The redhead nodded seriously. "Yes, that would be a good start."


End file.
